ELEPHAS MERIDIONALIS.— TRUE MOLARS. 191 



3. TRUE MOLARS. 



The Ante-penultimate or First True Molar. 



The first true molar, according to Falconer, is represented by No. 8 of the Norwich 

 Museum, from Mundesley. 1 It contains x 8 x in 5*3 X 23 inches, and is a left lower 

 molar. Dr. Falconer observes : ** The discs of the first three ridges are wide and open, 

 but irregularly indented, with a tendency to mesial expansion, and surrounded by margins 

 of thick enamel, which is vertically channelled externally and slightly crimped." Again, 

 " One of the distinctive characters of the species, namely, the low height of the crown in 

 reference to the breadth, is well exhibited." 



With reference to the latter, it must be conceded that the character is important in 

 the diagnosis of these large broad teeth from the Norfolk coast, but in the present 

 instance the crown is about half worn down, consequently the width to height makes the 

 contrast. However looked upon, by comparison with similar molars of E. antiquus and 

 E. primigenius, the above tooth has a relatively narrow crown for E. meridionalis . The 

 enamel of the discs is fully crimped, there is mesial expansion, and the plates are not 

 thick. The most that can be said of it is, that the cement is in excess, and the undula- 

 tions of the enamel (" vertical channellings " of Falconer) carry with them characters 

 different from the ordinary tooth of E. antiquus ; but the specimen altogether is not 

 representative of points, which appear much more distinct in other instances, I shall 

 describe presently. 



Another instance is adduced 2 from Mundesley. It is No. 7 of the Norwich Collec- 

 tion, and belongs to the lower jaw, left side. It is not entire, having only the anterior 

 talon and seven plates in 5*5 X 2*65 inches, and holds five ridges in 3*2 inches. 



Falconer says the enamel ridges are " thick." This appears to me by no means the 

 case ; indeed, by comparison with other teeth, I should consider them the reverse. He 

 states that some other plates are " disposed to slight crimping and irregular angular 

 expansions." They appear to me to show decided crimping and angular expansion ; 

 which even in typical specimens of E. antiquus is not always regular. The tooth has 

 much to recommend it rather for the dental series of the latter species than for E. meri- 

 dionalis. 



Another tooth, 33,368, B. M., from the same situation, and much rolled, belonging 

 to the lower jaw, left side, holds what appears to be x 7 x in 55 X 2 J inches, and seven 

 ridges in 4| inches. It is unworn, but the cement wedges are thick, and the general 

 grossness of the crown place it, at all events, with the preceding. 



1 Op. cit., vol. ii, p. 134, and ' F. A. S.,' pi. xivb, figs. 5 and 5 a. 



2 Op. cit., vol. ii, p. 135 ; ' F. A. S.,' pi. xiv b, figs. (j and (i a. 



