THE MALTESE FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 9 



seems impossible, however, to attempt to classify the smaller fragments ; I shall there- 

 fore proceed at once to a consideration of the largest. Two of the latter, of about the 

 same dimensions, were discovered in Mnaidra Gap lying close to the last true molars 

 (PI. VII. fig. 2, and PI. VIII. fig. 7), and belonged to different individuals. The more 

 perfect tusk showed an unbroken length of 4 feet 2 inches from the apex of the pulp- 

 cavity, where the girth was 15 inches, the average circumferences of the other tusk being 

 13'5 inches at the alveolus and 13 inches at the fractured distal extremity (a section 

 of which is shown, PI. XL fig. 12), thus representing a tusk which could not originally 

 have been under 5 feet in length. The curve was gradual, sweeping gently downwards, 

 forwards, and inwards. A somewhat smaller incisor is shown by the fragment, fig. 11. 

 Another fragment of a large tusk from the same situation gives a girth of 15 inches in 

 front of the alveolar opening ; but the largest fragment was discovered by Dr. Caruana, 

 F.G.S., in Shantiin Fissured It was 21 inches in length, with a circumference of 

 17 inches. A skull containing what I consider to be the first true molar of the largest 

 form (PI. VIII. fig. 5), held also an entire tusk, which measured 2 feet 2 inches in length, 

 with a maximum girth, just in front of the alveolus, of 7 inches. 



Sections of all the permanent incisors in my collection (and they are very numerous) 

 display well-marked " engine-turning," and " surface-channelling " more pronounced 

 than I have observed in those of either of the recent species (see PI. XI. figs. 11-15). 

 Although tusks as criteria of the size of the Elephant are at best fallacious^, it is clear 

 that the owners of the largest of the above equalled the dimensions of an Elephant 

 at least from 6'5 to 7 feet in height. The latter, as far as I can make out from my own 

 collection, was about the greatest height attained by the largest form of Maltese 

 Elephant. The tips of the tusks, large and small, seemed, as in the living animal, to 

 have varied considerably, as will be seen from the representations on PI. XL ; perhaps 

 the obtuse points belonged to females. The termination of the pulp-cavity is seen at 

 «, fig. 14. 



An instructive specimen, showing the permanent tusks in place, is represented in 

 PI. I. fig. 18; both are entire, with a fragment of the left molar in situ. The latter, 

 for reasons stated in the sequel, is, I apprehend, the last of the milk-series, and as such 

 would represent the same stage of growth as observed in the recent species, but in a 

 much smaller Elephant. The right incisor (5) has been displaced ; but the left may 

 be said to be in place, or nearly so. The fragment in the alveolus, figured and described 

 by Busk^ would seem to have belonged to a somewhat younger individual. The 

 portion shown, PI. XL fig. 13, was presented to me by the owner of the property 

 where the Zebbug cave exists, from which it was obtained. The specimen gives 

 about 7-5 inches of the central portion of a tusk, the maximum girth of which is 

 6 inches, and from the curvature indicates a full-grown animal, and no doubt also of the 



' Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxvi. p. 435. 



» See Baker's ' Nile-Tributaries of Abyssinia,' p. 533. ' Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. vi. pi. 52. fig. 46. 



VOL. IX. — PAKT I. November, 1874. c 



