THE MALTESE FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 99 



states of preservation to having been surrounded in a stalagmitic red soil, whilst the 

 other members of the same foot decayed away in the looser material around them. The 

 above fig. 3 is altogether a much stouter bone than D type, and in outline resembles the 

 members of A type. Its proximal facet is like that of the African, Avith even sides. The 

 unciform-surface is flat, sloping outwards. Length 3-1 inches, breadth of midshaft 1-7, 

 depth internally 1-1, depth of posterior articular surface 2, unciform-facet 1-8 by 1-6, 

 third-metacarpal facet 1-5 by -6, fifth-metacarpal facet 1-2 by -5, anterior articular sur- 

 face 1-7 by 1-7. 



It is evident that the owner of figs. 3 and 4 must have possessed a short and 

 broad foot. 



The same element of the hind foot is still more various, and not only as regards size, 

 but in characters even of specimens that do not differ in Other particulars. At all 

 events there are seemingly remarkable diversities m these respects in connexion with the 

 middle toes ; but probably a large series of recent specimens would show like individual 

 discrepancies. Thus in one out of four specimens of the fourth metatarsal, all of which, 

 as regards size, are about equal, I find the cuboidal facet, instead of being concave 

 laterally as in the Asiatic, is convex towards its outer side for a deeper depression in the 

 opposing surface ; so that we have the characters, as it were, of the two recent animals 

 in the large form. Of course, did these bones show evidences of youth, the diagnosis 

 would be of no value ; but, like all the others I am describing, they are the remains of 

 full-grown and aged individuals. 



A Type. — The perfect right fourth metatarsal shown in PI. XX. fig. 4 is the one just 

 referred to. What has been stated as regards the outline of the proximal articulating 

 surface in the recent animals is, as far as the African species, well represented in this 

 specimen, only that the dorsal surface is not so rounded. The dimensions of three of the 

 specimens are the same ; two from Mnaidra Gap belong to the right, whUst the other 

 from Gandia Fissure is of the left hind foot. The following are the dimensions 

 of PI. XX. fig 4: — length 3-1 inches; breadth, middle of shaft, 1-6 ; depth internally 

 at middle of shaft 1 ; depth of posterior articular aspect 2 inches ; cuboidal surface 1'6 

 (depth) by 1-9 ; third metatarsal facet -9 by -6 ; fifth metatarsal facet 1-1 by -5 ; ante- 

 rior articular surface 1'7 by 1-7. There are, moreover, ii-respective of what has just 

 been pointed out in connexion with the cuboidal aspect, differences in the contours of 

 these three bones which make me almost doubt the value of the diagnosis I have noted 

 between the African and Asiatic ; nevertheless, in attempting to correlate the characters 

 of these diversified elephantine bones, it seems requisite that all individual distinctions 

 should be noted. Referring to the forms of the specimens in question, whilst fig. 4 

 resembles what I have pointed out as characters of the African, we find a second 

 specimen, more slender, with a concave cuboidal facet and much of the outline of the 

 Asiatic, and a third with a more concave tarsal aspect and still more concave outer 

 and inner sides ; at the same time it would be impossible to assign to either the cha- 



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