3.08 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The only other illustration of a molar of this species which I shall 

 adduce is that described and figured by Parkinson*, and reproduced 

 in the ' British Fossil Mammalia,' fig. 9S, p. 239. The origin of this 

 specimen, which, is now in the Museum of the CoUege of Siu'geonst, 

 is not accurately known. Parkinson states that it was purchased at 

 the sale of the " Calonnian Museum," by Mr. George Humphries, 

 and that it was said to have been found in Stafi^ordshire. It is a 

 last upper molar of the left side, the crown presenting twelve ridges 

 and anterior talon. The first eight ridges are worn, the rest being- 

 enveloped by cement. The pattern of the grinding-surface is some- 

 what abnormal. Interposed between the second and third ridges there 

 is a demi-ridge, composed of two flattened disks, occupying only the 

 inner half of the interspace. The next two ridges are divided each 

 into three flattened annular and well-separated disks. The three 

 last of the exposed ridges have the apices of the digitations barely 

 affected by wear, but showing thick mammillary points. Parkinson 

 describes the tooth as differing from any other that he had seen, the 

 peculiarities of character being the great thickness of the plates, 

 the smoothness of the sides (inner) of the line of enamel, and the 

 appearance of the digitated points of the plates (^. e. the interposed 

 demi-ridge) in the anterior part of the tooth. He adds that the 

 width of the plates may be taken at nearly double that of the fossil 

 teeth in general, and he infers that this tooth indicated a fossil spe- 

 cies of Elephant distinct from the Mammoth. 



The dimensions are — . , 



inches. 



Length of crown 6-6 



"Width „ at second ridge 3"0 



- Greatest width of crown, at fourth ridge . . 3*5 



Length of grinding-surface in use 5-0 



It wiU be observed that all the peculiarities which struck Parkin- 

 son are those that are here considered characteristic of E. meri- 

 dionalis. Professor Owen has described this specimen carefully, and, 

 allowing that it unquestionably offers a great contrast to the 

 usual form, nevertheless considers that it exhibits the characters of 

 the thick-plated variety of the Mammoth simply exaggerated from 

 the accidents of age and attrition. The objections, founded upon 

 teeth of the Mammoth, which he has raised against E. meridimialis, 

 win be considered with most advantage in the sequel, in the remarks 

 upon E. primigenius. 



. Parkinson's molar differs only from the ordinary character of E. 

 mendionalis in having the groups of digitations that form the flat- 

 tened rings more apart than usual. The intercalation of a demi- 

 ridge is not uncommon in the molars of fossil Elephants. This is 

 the only " thick -plated " variety figured or described in the ' British 

 Fossil Mammalia' ; but Professor Owen states that he had seen a 

 very similar molar of the Mammoth from the Norfolk freshwater 

 deposits in the collection of Mr. Pitch of Norwich J. The authority 



* Parkinson's ' Organic Remains," vol. iii. p. 344, pi. 20. fig. 6. 



t Catalogue of Fossil Mammalia and Aves, p. 143, no. 599. 



X Loo. cit. p. 240. 



