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BRITISH FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 



The lower molar, No. 19,844, B. M., from Slade Green, referred to by Falconer, 1 

 is another excellent example of the usual long tapering and arcuated second true molar. 

 It has lost, however, possibly a ridge posteriorly, leaving 13 or a? 12 in 8*6 inches, the 

 injury having taken place since it was examined by Dr. Falconer, as he gives twelve plates 

 and a heel in 10 inches, or else his description refers to another tooth, as the illustra- 

 tions agree with the molar as it stands at present. This tooth might be the opposing 

 molar to the upper molar, Plate II, fig. 1, as far as state of wear, condition of ridges, 

 general characters, and locality extend. 



A fine specimen of an upper second true molar, commencing wear and showing the 

 pronounced characters of the teeth of this Elephant, is represented by No. 22,017, B. M., 

 from Grays. Here in 8' 2 inches a small figmentary anterior talon and a well-marked 

 digitated posterior talon embrace twelve plates between them. 



No. 580 of the Museum, Royal College of Surgeons, is a penultimate upper molar 

 with an injury to the anterior ridge, but the original length of the tooth is preserved. 

 It is a good specimen of the narrow crown from Grays, and holds seventeen ridges in 

 9 inches. 



The difficulty in determining which is a plate or a talon is well shown in another and 

 similar upper molar, No. 22,017, B. M., from Grays. Here the last two ridges do not 

 arise from the common base, just as occasionally a semilunar plate in front takes the 

 place of an anterior talon. The tooth, moreover, shows posteriorly the narrow crown of 

 the second as compared with the breadth of the same part in the first true molar. 

 There are fourteen ridges altogether in 7*7 inches. 



A comparison between the last and two perfect lower molars in the Jermyn Street 

 Museum, also from Grays, shows no less than fifteen ridges or x 13 a? in 10 inches in 

 the latter. They are contained in a jaw with clear traces of the ultimate tooth behind, 

 whilst another specimen of a penultimate lower tooth in the same collection from British 

 strata contains sc 12 te in 9 inches. These are again exceeded by the remarkable 

 specimen referred to by Falconer as having been dredged up at Harwich, 2 where a 

 lower molar, "probably the penultimate," holds a? 12 a? in 10 - 8 inches, and an 

 "extremely characteristic" second lower true molar holding x 14 x in 10*1 inches. 

 It would even seem that undoubted penultimate true molars, especially in the lower jaw, 

 have sometimes fifteen plates besides talons. 



The enamel, which becomes thicker in last true molars than in any of the preceding, 

 shows a tendency towards this condition in many specimens of the penultimate tooth. 

 An instance in point is shown in No. 21,318, B. M., from Grays, Essex. 



Another illustration is presented by specimen No. 27,916, B. M., dredged off 

 Norwich. This thick-plated tooth is entire and of the lower jaw. It holds xl2x 

 in 8*7 inches. 



1 ' Pal. Mem.,' vol. ii, p. 184, and ' F. A. S.,' pi. xiv a, fig. 10. 



2 Ibid., vol. ii, pp. 183 and 184. 



