REMARKS ON THE DENTAL SYSTEM OF THE MASTODON. 55 



skeleton was probably that which was raised near the Castle of Chaumont, in 

 France, about the year 1613. Its thigh bone measured, five feet in length, and 

 its tibia four feet. It passed for the remains of Teutobochus, king of the Cim- 

 brians, who had fought against the Roman general Marius, about one hundred 

 years before Christ. Many publications for and against their authenticity as 

 such, appeared at that time. 



We may infer from the preceding remarks how great must be the changes 

 in a dental system in passing from the calf to the adult, so as to secure at all 

 periods a masticating surface of sufficient extent. The process of nature in 

 providing this surface consists in bringing forward, from the back of the jaw 

 bones, a series of teeth, successively larger and larger; and as these teeth emerge 

 from behind, the smaller teeth advance forwards to near the chin, and their 

 alveolar processes are absorbed. The advanced teeth, having no longer the 

 latter support, then drop out. 



The teeth, from their inorganic character, suffer less in the influences from 

 time and atmosphere than any other portions of the animal frame; hence they 

 are the last vestiges of individuals. They are also, in many instances, the last 

 traces of races of animals, and our only idea of the latter is furnished upon the 

 analogies of the teeth. The Mastodon, in some of its species, comes under this 

 category : there is no remaining evidence, in certain cases, but the teeth, and in 

 others only the teeth and the lower jaw, the latter seeming to be next to the 

 teeth, in the character of indestructibility. To the naturalist, therefore, it is of 

 consequence to have such a system of dentology as will enable him, on the one 

 hand, to separate different species, and, on the other hand, to avoid the error 

 of multiplying them, contrary to the order of nature. 



A distinct species may be ascertained by the number of teeth in the jaw of a 

 mature animal, and by their texture and mechanism. But as different periods 

 of time, between birth and the mature or adult state, exhibit different numbers 

 of teeth, a species, it is clear, cannot be determined upon their number alone, 

 until we know the number existing at each age. Age may also have its peculiar 

 concomitants of mechanism and texture; and, likewise, sex may affect the 

 dental system of the Mastodon, as it does in other animals. In fine, with such 

 narrow limits for correct judgment, the naturalist is much exposed to error, 

 and it would perhaps be safer, in the present state of our knowledge in regard 

 to the facts of dentology in the Mastodon, to refrain from admitting the existence 



