ELEPHAS PRIMIGENIUS.— SPINAL AXIS. 147 



The Ilford scapula, as compared with that of the Asiatic Elephant, although shorter 

 than the latter, is G^ inches broader. 



The acromion is near to the glenoid cavity in the Asiatic, but altogether there is little 

 of much importance to distinguish the scapula of the Mammoth from that of the Asiatic 

 Elephant, thereby adding an additional proof to the close dental and osteological characters 

 of the two species ; and doubtless, were the same parts of other allied species forthcoming, 

 similar interesting data would be furnished, 



4. SPINAL AXIS. 



The various elements, in particular dorso-lumbar vertebrae of the Mammoth are 

 plentiful in collections, but from their susceptibilities to injury are seldom found entire. 

 The more perfect specimens belong to individuals from the frozen ice cliffs of Arctic 

 lands, or were dredged from the basin of the German Ocean. 



Atlas. 



This element of the vertebral column of the Mammoth presents characters which, if 

 persistent, would be very valuable in the differentiation of species ; but I find, as recorded 

 at page 56, that there is individual variability both in the living and extinct species. 

 However, the following seem worthy of notice. Referring to the atlases shown in 

 PI. XVII, of the Mammoth, E. antiquus, and E. meridionalis, I have observed that the 

 foramina for the first cervical nerve in the majority of first cervicals of the Mammoth 

 open internally on the sides of the body, which are perpendicular, so that the apertures are 

 not visible when viewed from above ; and the same obtains in that of the Asiatic Elephant 

 generally. I have seen several exceptions, however, in bones of both species. In E. 

 meridionalis, E. Africanus, and E. antiquus it is quite visible from above, so that the 

 internal surface of the canal is less perpendicular in them ; but also this character may 

 not be constant. The configuration of the anterior articular surfaces is nearly semilunar, 

 as seen in fig. 1, as compared with that of E. antiquus and E. meridionalis (figs. 2 and 3). 

 Again, the greater width of the odontoid and vertebral canals in the Mammoth and 

 E. antiquus will be seen to contrast with the same in E. meridionalis, the height to 

 breadth being not so marked in the two former as in E. meridionalis, whilst the 

 flattening of the upper aspect of the arch in them seems distinct from the round surface 

 in the latter. But a series of specimens of the atlases of E. antiquus and E. meridionalis 

 can only determine these apparent distinctions, which, as regards the Mammoth and 

 Asiatic Elephant, seem disposed to individual variation. The atlas in the Mammoth 

 seldom seems to exceed fifteen to sixteen inches in its greatest breadth, and eight inches 

 in height, both of which measurements fall very short of that of the enormous cervicals 

 of E. meridionalis, and often of E. antiquus. 



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