E. (LOXODON) MEKIDIONALIS. 123 



8. A cranium nearly entire, attached to the mounted trunk, 

 with the incisive sheaths very long, perfect, parallel, and 

 containing moderate-sized tusks. The upper and lower jaws 

 of this specimen were fixed in apposition, concealing the 

 crowns of the molars ; and I am unable to say, with confi- 

 dence, that it belongs to E. (Loxod.) meridionalis. 



9. A fragment, comprising the incisive alveoli, with the 

 perfect tusks in their natural position and of moderate di- 

 mensions. 



Viewed from the front aspect, the head is more depressed, 

 and wider behind the temporal fossae, and the length of brow 

 from the vertex to the tip of the nasals is markedly less in E. 

 meridionalis than in E. primigenius. In the latter, the frontal 

 region between the margins of the temporal ridges is broad ; 

 in the former it is much narrower, being encroached upon by 

 the temporal fossse. The bounding ridges sweep round by a 

 bold curve into the post-orbitary processes in E. meridionalis, 

 somewhat in the manner represented in the cranium of E. 

 (Stegod.) bombifrons (Fauna Antiqua Sivalensis, PI. XLIII. 

 fig. 13), in which the fronto-parietal region is much con- 

 stricted, while in E. primigenius they pass into the post- 

 orbitary processes by a gentle sigmoid flexure. (See PI. I. 

 figs. 6 and 15.) 



In the Indian Elephant the posterior border of the vertex 

 is^ deeply emarginated by a re-entering sinus, corresponding 

 with the upper termination of the occipital fossa ; in E. meri- 

 dionalis the line is transverse, the fossa being overarched by 

 a produced fold of the vertex {vide Nesti, op. tit., and PI. I. 

 fig. 11). 



The posterior orbitary process is very pointed and hooked ; 

 the lachrymal tubercle is also pointed, while in E. primigenius 

 it is thick and prominent. 



The nasals are salient, and terminate in an obtuse point ; 

 they show no tendency to becomhig lunately bifid as in the 

 African Elephant (PI. I. fig. 10). 



The _ nasal aperture is situated considerably nearer the 

 vertex in E. meridionalis than in E. primigenius ; the bounding 

 margin presents a reniform outline with the cornua directed 

 forwards, as in the latter and in E. (Euelephas) Hysudricus 

 (PI. I. fig 12). 



In E. primigenius the incisive alveoli are very much elon- 

 gated and parallel. The general plane of their upper surface 

 meets the plane of the frontal at a slight angle, from the al- 

 veoli being a little inflected towards the molars. This involves 

 a corresponding modification in the symphysis of the mandible, 

 the diasteme descending nearly vertically, to terminate in a 

 short pointed beak. An equally remarkable elongation of 



