ELEPHAS MELITENSIS. 



297 



form, and that only conjecturally. It consists of a portion 

 of the dental end of a slightly curved tusk, about five inches 

 in length. The greater part of the outer layer, which is 

 weathered, of a greyish tint, has disappeared by dislamination. 

 The butt end yields a round section, slightly compressed at 

 the sides. The outer layer is smooth, and throughout a 

 line of thickness shows no appearance of engine-turning. 

 Beneath it the ivory-surface is very distinctly channelled 

 longitudinally and regularly, and the section inwards to the 

 core exhibits very distinct engine -turning, more pronounced 

 even than is commonly seen in Proboscidean tusks, the in- 

 equalities being nearly as marked as upon a sailor's thimble. 

 The specimen tapers to a conical point. 

 The dimensions are : — 



Length of fragment, 5 - in. Vertical diameter at butt end, 1-15 in. Transverse 

 ditto, 1-0 in. 



The tusk here described would correspond in size with 

 the true molar of the Malta form. 



Ridge-formula. — It now remains to consider how the data 

 furnished above by the molars bear upon the determination 

 of the ridge-formula, which of all the characters is the most 

 significant in pointing out the affinities of the species. 



Milk Molars. — The antepenultimate milk molar (m.m. 2) 

 is seen by PL XII. figs. 1 and 1 a, to have been composed of 

 three collines, like the corresponding tooth of the African 

 Elephant ; while in E. primigenius, E. Iadicus, and other 

 species of the sub-genus Euelephas, it presents four collines. 



The penultimate (m.m. 3) is clearly proved by the upper 

 germ specimen (PI. XI. figs. 4 and 4 a), and by the lower 

 (PI. XII. figs. 2 and 2 a-), to have had five collines, besides 

 front and back talons. In the African Elephant it is com- 

 posed commonly of five ridges in the upper jaw, and six in 

 the lower ; while in the species of Euelephas it ranges from 

 seven to eight ; seven being the complement of E. antiquus, 

 and eight that of the Indian Elephant and Mammoth. 



Of the last milk molar (m.m. 4) the specimen represented 

 in PI. XII. figs. 3 and 3 a, fortunately presents the crown 

 of an inferior tooth, in perfect integrity, composed of eight 

 ridges in addition to a front and hind talon. The African 

 Elephant commonly yields the same number; while in 

 E. antiquus the number is ten, and in E. primigenius and 

 E. Itidicus it amounts to twelve. 1 



1 Extract from Dr. Falconers Note- 

 book.—' British Museum, July 26, 1860. 

 Compared the perfect specimen of last 

 milk molar of lower jaw of Elephant 

 from Zebbug with two specimens (Nos. 



18,810 and 21,655) of the last milk 

 molar of Elephas antiquus from Grays, 

 in Essex. In No. 18,810, the crown is 

 more worn than in the Zebbug tooth, and 

 there is a very large disc of prossuxe 



