152 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 



either imported thus from abroad, or having been subjected 

 to some accidental misplacement afterwards. A reliable in- 

 stance of the kind alleged, as a normal arrangement, has 

 never come under mj observation, after the examination of a 

 very large number of skulls in Europe and in India. Inferring 

 from what is ordinarily seen in the Indian Elephant, the 

 teeth in the upper and lower jaws in question would be re- 

 garded as belonging to distinct animals of different ages. 



To revert to the numerical determinations, the antepenul- 

 timate or first true molar is that regarding which there is the 

 most uncertainty. According to Corse, it consists of about 

 fifteen ridges. Cuvier has not specially defined the number. 

 De Blainville attributes to the upper antepenultimate fifteen 

 ridges ; the lower he has not characterized. Owen describes 

 the tooth, in general terms, as having the crown composed of 

 15 or 16 plates (ridges), with a length of from 7 to 8 inches. 

 The result of my observation is, that although the first true 

 ?nolar, in the Indian Elephant, is manifestly larger in all its 

 dimtrsions than the last milk molar, it ordinarily repeats the 

 number of ridges shown by the latter. The following are 

 illustrations in the Museum of King's College : — Besides the 

 two young crania already mentioned, there is a third, of ado- 

 lescent age, which contains the last milk molar and the first 

 true molar above and below. The third milk molar in the 

 upper jaw is nearly worn out ; behind it the antepenultimate 

 true molar presents a crown composed of twelve principal 

 ridges, with a front and back talon. The six anterior ridges 

 are worn, the rest being intact. The dimensions are :• — length 

 of crown 6*3 inches, width in front 2*1 inches, width behind 1*5 

 inch. In the lower jaw of the same specimen the last milk 

 molar is worn out ; the antepenultimate true molar presents 

 a crown composed also of twelve principal ridges, with front 

 and back talons. The ten anterior ridges are worn ; the discs 

 of wear are well crimped, and without any mesial expansion. 

 The dimensions are : — length of crown 6*8 inches, width in 

 front 2 inches ; width behind 1*5 inch. The cranium is well 

 marked for reference by the loss of the right tusk, the pulp- 

 nucleus of which had been destroyed, the third alveolus being 

 nearly filled up. It bears a record of having been presented 

 by Mr. Hammond. 



In the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons there is 

 a young cranium, nearly of a corresponding age, in which the 

 same teeth are present. In the upper jaw the last milk molar 

 is worn down to a stump, having the indistinct remains of 

 about five ridges. 



The antepenultimate true molar is in the middle stage of 

 wear. The crown presents twelve principal ridges, with front 



