﻿ELEPHAS ANTIQUUS— TRUE MOLARS. 



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A mandible, No. 28,114, B. M., from Bracklesham Bay, has a molar in sitii. It 

 contains a? 13 x in 8 inches. Here we have' a good illustration of the circumstance just 

 noticed in connection with the pressure marks of advancing teeth ; although all excepting 

 the last ridge are invaded, only an insignificant portion of cement has been displaced on 

 the heel ; in fact, there is no deep pressure scar, although the ultimate molar must have been 

 on the point of cutting the gum, as its empty socket testifies. Moreover, the crown of 

 the molar, being protected by a fragment of the first true molar, has preserved its natural 

 round front, which contrasts with the tapering hinder portion. The former condition is 

 worthy of note, inasmuch as a molar unprotected by a fragment of the preceding tooth 

 is, as elsewhere observed, liable to have its anterior portion ground down laterally as well 

 as horizontally, and will therefore give a different aspect to the crown view. 



The left tooth in the lower jaw, No. 33,366, B. M., dredged up at Happisborough, 

 exactly proves the truth of this view as regards the two varieties of outline of the crowns 

 of worn teeth. Here there is no trace of a preceding tooth, so that the front of the 

 penultimate is ground down not only horizontally but laterally, and is therefore narrow 

 in front. It holds a? 12 a? in 8 inches. There are other specimens illustrative of this 

 condition in the National Collection. 



A left upper molar, No. 33,330, B. M., dredged off Happisborough, is entire, with 

 two anterior fangs and a general coalescence of the base posteriorly. The crown is just 

 commencing wear, there being seven ridges invaded, with none of their digitations worn 

 out. The specimen, evidently entire, holds fifteen ridges, or x 13 x in 9 inches. There 

 is faint crimping of the enamel of the disk, but otherwise it has more the aspect of a 

 crown surface of a last molar of E. meridionalis. This is one of the doubtful molars 

 which, on account of not being sufficiently advanced in wear, presents no characteristic 

 features whereby it can be placed with members of the penultimate true molar ; indeed, 

 the specific distinctions are by no means pronounced. 



A broken left lower molar, No. 20,809, B. M., from Ilford, has its anterior ridges 

 just invaded. It has thick plates, and is clearly a true molar of E. antiqmis. There 

 are ten ridges in 6 inches. 



A molar of the lower jaw much arcuated with the loss of posterior ridges, and 

 numbered 599 in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, is probably of this 

 stage of growth. It is from the "Parkinson Collection," and from the "Drift or 

 Pleistocene Beds of Staffordshire." The crown is little more than invaded in front, 

 and holds fourteen ridges in 8 inches. 



Foreign specimens. — Distinctive mandibular specimens are cited by Dr. Falconer 

 from the Quaternary deposits of Monte Verdi, where teeth of thirteen ridges are contained 

 each in 9*1 inches. They are said to show very typical disks of E. antiquus ; l a fragment 

 ,in a ramus showing the thick plates, from Rome, will be noticed presently when this 



1 'Pal. Mem.,' vol. ii, p. 18-1. 



