150 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 



corresponding teeth in the lower jaw, but a little older, and 

 with the crown fully emerged from the alveolus. The penul- 

 timate presents eight principal ridges, with a smaU talon- 

 splent behind. The crown is well worn, and measures : — 

 length 2*4 inches, width in front -9 inch, width behind 1-2 

 inch. The last lower milk molar has a crown composed of 

 twelve principal ridges, with a posterior talon; the four 

 anterior ridges are worn, the rest being intact, and the 

 whole united by cement. The crown measures in length 

 45 inches, by a width in front of 1-55 inch. The cranium in 

 this case, although older, is of a smaller variety than that 

 previously described. 



There are several young crania in the Museum of the Col- 

 lege of Surgeons yielding the same teeth. In one very im- 

 mature specimen (A), the antepenultimate upper is composed 

 of four ridges and a talon ; and the lower, of four ridges. Of 

 the penultimate upper and lower, each presents only seven 

 ridges, with front and hind talons. In another (B), which is 

 a little older, the penultimate, much worn, and the last, partly 

 in use, are shown above and below. The penultimate upper 

 exhibits the remains of eight ridges ; the lower is worn out. 

 The last upper milk molar of the same specimen and the last 

 lower show twelve ridges each, with a front and back talon. 



Taking the data afforded by these examples and a great 

 many others which I have seen in different collections, the 

 ridge-formula of the milk molars in the Indian Elephant, ex- 

 clusive of talons, is ordinarily thus : — 



4 + 8+12 

 4 + 8+12 



In regard to the penultimate milk molar, an exception is ad- 

 mitted in the case of the young cranium (A), where this tooth, 

 both above and below, is stated to present seven ridges in 

 addition to front and hind talons ; but the hind talons in 

 these cases may be regarded as last ridges. Cuvier adopted 

 the numbers assigned by Corse, namely, four ridges to the 

 tooth here designated the antepenultimate, 8 or 9 to the pe- 

 nultimate, and 12 or 13 to the last milk molar. But it is to 

 be remarked that Corse made no distinction between the 

 talons and the ridges proper. De Blainville, in the descrip- 

 tive details of these teeth, assigns to them in succession, 

 respectively, 4, 8, and 11 ridges to the upper, and 4, 9, and 

 11 to 12 ridges to the lower. Owen describes the first or ante- 

 penultimate as having 4 plates, the penultimate 8 or 9 plates, 

 and the last from 11 to 13 plates. Taking the mean of the 

 various numbers assigned, and making allowance for want of 

 precision in some of the cases in reference to the talons, 





