﻿ELEPHAS ANTIQUUS— TRUE MOLARS. 



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The intermediate varieties of molars which link together the broad, the narrow, and 

 the thick-plated crowns are numerous, and establish such a gradation from the broad to 

 the narrow tooth that a series can be arranged with these extremes at either end. This is 

 not at present so clear in the case of the thick-plated variety, which, however, shows a 

 disposition to pass into the characters of the narrow crown as seen in Plate III, fig. 1. 

 It will appear, from the instances already furnished in relation to the first and second 

 true molars, that the variability so apparent in the last of the dental series is not confined 

 to it ; even in milk teeth there are thick plates and broad and narrow crowns, which are 

 evidently youthful conditions of similar appearances in the full-grown Elephants. 



The following molars in the National Collection and elsewhere are worthy of being 

 recorded as illustrative of the foregoing, and also of the intermediate conditions which 

 bridge over the extremes. 



Two upper teeth, Nos. 37,285 and i^hn B. M., show abnormalities, possibly 

 deformed conditions of their crowns. The former from Clacton displays a remarkable 

 compression of the ridges on the outer and posterior part of the crown. The tooth is 

 very small, but unquestionably a last true molar. All excepting the two last are in wear, 

 and give a formula of 14 x in 9 inches, there being a loss of plates and the fore talon. 

 This is an instance of a modification of A Variety. The other tooth is of the left or 

 opposite side. It is abnormally flattened on the outside of the crown. The anterior 

 fang supports the two anterior ridges, followed by digitations in pairs, and a con- 

 tracting hollow shell posteriorly. There are no less than 20 ridges, or x 18 x, in 9*5 

 inches. The enamel is very thin but well crimped, and the first twelve ridges are 

 invaded, whilst the disks which are packed close together show also central expansions 

 with angulations. This tooth in consequence, probably, of the deformity of its sides has 

 the aspect of a short broad crown of some varieties of the Mammoth's tooth in which 

 there is faint crimping, but the height of the ridges seems to place it with ultimate broad- 

 crowned molars of E. antiquus ; it is also from Clacton. 



A dredged specimen, No. 33,327 B. M., of a lower molar from Happisborough, 

 is entire excepting a portion of the posterior talon, and holds x 16 x in 115 inches. 



Like the foregoing, its ridges are high, the longest (12th) being 7" 5 inches. The ridges 

 are aggregated, and more or less parallel without curving of the horns of the disks. The 

 machserides are much crimped, with thicker enamel than in the last. It shows more 

 pronounced characters of the broad crown, although not to the extent of the more 

 typical members of A Variety. 



An injured upper molar, No. 37,271, B. M., in the Brown Collection, is from the 

 brick earths of Walton, Essex. There are posterior ridges wanting, leaving 14 in a 

 space of 8 inches. The tooth has only the first five ridges invaded. The crown is inter- 

 mediate between the narrow and broad tooth. 



Another broad crown is instanced by the upper molar, No. 40,385, B. M., from 

 Oundle, Northamptonshire. The cement has been much denuded. There is a loss 



