﻿2 



BRITISH FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 



Sivalensis ;' it has, however, been fully pointed out by himself, 1 and corrected in the 

 descriptions of the plates. 2 It may be further stated that the so-called Elephas priscus of 

 Gold fuss, which Dr. Falconer considered was represented by certain molars from the 

 Thames Valley, 3 was subsequently withdrawn by him in consequence of more extended 

 researches establishing these teeth as being only a variety of the grinder of Elephas 

 antiqum* 



In connection with the discovery and description of the species of Elephant under 

 consideration, I have to observe that the first portion of Dr. Falconer's essay on the 

 British Mastodon and Elephant referred to, was published in 1857, and the second part, 

 after his death, in 186 5. 5 The latter is so far imperfect that it does not contain the 

 description of the entire dentition of the Elephas primigenius, nor any observations on the 

 Elephas antiquus, which, however, in the form of note-book entries, have been published 

 by the editor of his Memoirs/' These jottings of the author appear, however, to have 

 been written prior to the latest impressions he had formed with reference to the 

 characters of certain molars in foreign museums, which on more matured experience he 

 conceived did not belong to Elephas antiquus? 



The flood of light thrown on the study of fossil Proboscidians by the late Dr. Falconer 

 shines nowhere more clearly than on the molars of British fossil Elephants ; inasmuch as, 

 through the splendid discoveries made by him in the Tertiary formations of India, he 

 received the impressions which led him to apply his inductions to European forms, and 

 with what measure of success his masterly expositions amply show. It is to be 

 regretted, however, that he has left no detailed account of the Elephas antiquus beyond 

 " note-book entries " and a few impressions dispersed throughout his various essays. 

 With the view, therefore, of supplying a desideratum in fossil zoology, I have attempted 

 to bring together the results of an extensive acquaintance with such proboscidian 

 remains as appear to me to belong to this Elephant. I have also compared them, as far 

 as opportunities would permit, with associated and allied teeth and bones of other forms 

 of British and foreign Elephants. 8 



It may be observed here that to attempt to draw a sharp line between molars of one 



1 ' Pal. Mem.,' vol. ii, p. 108. 

 - Idem, vol. i, p. 438, et seq. 



Idem, vol. ii, p. 94, and ' Fauna Antiqua Sivalensis,' pi. xiv, figs. 6 and 7. 

 * Idem, vol. ii, p. 251 (Note 1). 



5 'Jour. Geol. Soc. London,' vols, xiii, xiv, and xxi. 



6 Vol. ii, p. 176. 



7 ' Pal. Mem.,' vol. ii, p. 249. 



8 The illustrations in the ' Fauna Antiqua Sivalensis ' are here referred to whenever] the original 

 specimens have been examined by me. Of course, in comparing the figures with the text in that 

 monograph the error in nomenclature pointed out above should be always borne in mind, and this will be 

 best attained by having recourse to the description of the plates in the ' Pabeontological Memoirs of the 

 late Dr. Falconer,' compiled and edited by Dr. Murchison, F.It.S. 



