THE MALTESE FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 97 



the size of the owner of the digit shown in fig. 8, the saddle-backed proximal facet and 

 the contraction of the middle of the shaft being like the Asiatic ; while the less oval proxi- 

 mal articular surface is like the African, as shown by the same comparison in the Sumatran, 

 where this facet is 1-6 inch by 1-2 to a total length of 2, the same in the fossil being 

 1'5 inch by 1 to 1-7. Here, again, the articular surfaces are relatively larger. The 

 general characters, however, of this digit both in the fore and hind foot are seemingly 

 more in keeping with the Asiatic than the African Elephant, provided that the specimen 

 of the latter in the British Museum is typical with respect to the aspects of these bones. 

 Summary. — Allowing a broad margin for individual differences in dimensions in the 

 Maltese elephants, I think it must be apparent that the owners of the foot-bones just 

 described could not well have belonged to the same species ; for even allowing A and B 

 series to represent large and small individuals, neither can be permitted to claim the 

 members of C series, which differed in size as much from A series as did the Hip])opotanms 

 major and H. pentlandi from the existent H. liheriensis and extinct H. minuttis '. 



Fourth Metacarjial, fourth Metatarsal, and their phalanges. 



The unciform-facet seems to be generally convex in young and adolescent stages of 

 the fourth metacarpal, and becomes almost flat in the aged. This is observable not 

 only in the recent species, but seems to be the case also in the Mammoth and the fourth 

 metacarpal referable to H. antiquus. The fourth metatarsal seems to be relatively 

 larger in the African ; its tarsal articulating surface is more triangular, with more even 

 sides, whilst the cuboidal facet is less concave than in the Asiatic. The distal articu- 

 lating surfaces and contours of the shafts do not vary much. The Sumatran or insular 

 variety would appear generally to differ from the continental, and also the African, in 

 having all its articular surfaces more hollowed out and prominently defined. No bones 

 in my collection differ more in dimensions than those referable to the fourth fore and 

 hind toes. 



I shall divide them into what I may call types, in the order of their size and characters. 



A Type. — 1. The largest, an imperfect left metacarpal, has its distal extremity much 

 abraded, with the greater part wanting, but preserves the following : — entire length 

 4"4 inches (about), some abrasion at distal extremity ; breadth (midshaft) 1'8, height of 

 proximal end 2, unciform-facet 2 by 1'8, facet for third I'S by '6, facet for fifth 1'3 by 'S. 

 The unciform-facet is slightly convex. 



2. A rather smaller but more perfect specimen of the right side, in relative proportions 

 equivalent to the third metacarpal (PI. XIX. fig. 10), is shown in no. 1, woodcut fig. 8. 

 Its dimensions are as follows — length 4 inches, breadth (middle of shaft) 1-8, depth of 

 ditto 1-2, anterior articular surface 2 by 2 inches, posterior articular surface (unciform) 



' This diminutive Riverhorse seems to have been contemporary in Malta with the H.pentlandi and the fossil 

 Elephants. See ' Pal. Mem.' vol. ii. p. 307, and my vrork on Malta, p. 214. Thus there were pygmy and large 

 Elephants and Hippopotami on the area at the same time. 



TOL. IX. — PART I. November, 1874. o 



