ELEPHAS MELITENSIS. 293 



front portion supported upon the large anterior fang, which 

 had been worn away by continued grinding action. This is 

 distinctly proved by the circumstance that the grinding 

 plane of the crown intersects the most anterior of the extant 

 fangs. The rest of the fangs from this point backwards to 

 the posterior talon are all present, but more or less fractured 

 or abraded. The molar is vertically fractured across through 

 the middle, involving the loss of the greater part of one 

 colline, but as the fragments fit at the base this circum- 

 stance does not interfere with the precise appreciation of the 

 crown characters. What remains of the crown is composed 

 of ten ridges, of which nine are more or less worn, the rest 

 being intact. The posterior talon consists of a single flattened 

 gibbous digitation appended to the last ridge, which is com- 

 posed of three or four digitations. The most anterior disc 

 of wear is vertically divided through the middle, so that the 

 posterior half of it only is present. The seven anterior discs 

 form oblong transverse depressions, bounded by parallel 

 bands of enamel ; there not being the slightest tendency in 

 any of them either to crimping or to digital subdivisions 

 forming secondary undulations. These discs are nearly of 

 uniform width across, parallel, and without any indication 

 of the retroflected cornua at the sides, such as are commonly 

 seen in Elephas antiquus. The most striking character about 

 these discs is the nearly entire absence of anything ap- 

 proaching crimping (or primary undulations) upon the edges 

 of the enamel-plates, as they are shown in relief upon the 

 surface of the crown. There is a slight appearance of ver- 

 tical grooving upon the cement aspect of these enamel-plates, 

 but considerably less than is exhibited by the molars of any 

 species of Elephant, fossil or recent, with which I am 

 acquainted. The enamel of the plates is rather thick, quite 

 as thick in proportion as in the existing Indian Elephant or 

 Elephas antiquus. There is the slightest possible tendency 

 to mesial angular expansion in some of the anterior discs, 

 but it is barely appreciable, while in some others of the 

 specimens this character is somewhat more pronounced. 

 The talon consists of but a single flattened digitation, and 

 there is this remarkable circumstance about it, that it does 

 not anywhere bear the slightest indication of any disc of 

 pressure upon it, arising from the protrusion of another 

 molar advancing from behind. The last or tenth ridge of 

 the specimen I have reckoned as such, and not as a talon 

 appendage, from the fact that it is continued vertically 

 down into the large postprior fang, and distinctly within its 

 bearing. The crown, in proportion to the height of the 

 plates, is narrow. The discs of wear are much abraded 



