ELEPHAS MERIDIONALIS.— DENTITION. 203 



A third maxilla, showing a portion of the palate with two molars similar to the last, 

 is seen in No. 3 of the same collection. The teeth contain 11 a? in 9^ X4 inches, and 

 converge a little in front, with an intervening space of 3f inches. The distances between 

 them at the middle and posteriorly being 3| and G inches respectively. The jaw is covered 

 with matrix from the Forest Bed, Cromer, from which it is stated to have been derived. 

 The crowns of the molars are remarkably broad. 



The mandible, Plate XXV, fig. 1, was considered by Dr. Falconer to belong to E. 

 meridionalis, from a label attached to the jaw with the name in his hand-writing. 



It was found in the Forest Bed, Cromer, and now forms one of many treasures in the 

 Woodwardian Museum of Cambridge University. Through the kindness and liberality 

 of my distinguished friend, Prof. McKenny Hughes, I am enabled to furnish an illustration 

 of this interesting jaw. There is a loss of the condyles, neck, and a portion of the under 

 surface of the horizontal ramus posteriorly, otherwise the specimen is nearly entire, and 

 in an excellent state of preservation. 



The last molar is in position on either side, with their heels about five inches behind the 

 anterior margin of the coronoid. They converge somewhat in front, the distance 

 between them being 4'5 inches at the first ridge, 5 at the middle, and 10£ at the 

 heels, which are elevated above the margins of their sockets. Both molars have their 

 hinder parts hidden in the jaw, but ten ridges are exposed, all of which are worn. 

 Possibly the formula may have been from eleven to twelve plates with talons ; assuredly 

 not more, from the dimensions. The cement having been removed for a short distance 

 down the external sides of the plates (Plate XXV, fig. 1), the ribbing of the plate has 

 become exposed. It is the cross section, through detrition, of these elevated ridges which 

 produces the false or faint crimping of the external border of the machserides, and 

 distinguishes the character from plaiting or crimping, involving the entire thickness of 

 the enamel. Unfortunately the crowns of the teeth are not worn even, and are here and 

 there encrusted with the Iron Pan, which adheres most pertinaciously to the enamel. 

 There is little of a trustworthy character to be learned from them further than, to all 

 appearances, they are nearly, if not quite, entire. Such being the case, and judging from 

 the exposed ridges, the dental formula does not at the furthest exceed a 14 x. Either 

 tooth, as far as the callipers can extend and along the surface, evidently not the whole 

 length, is 9 \ X 3^ inches. The cement is in excess, and the enamel, as usual, is thick 

 with slight crimping along the external border. 



It is to be regretted that the molars afford so little information. But the mandible 

 is extremely interesting, as it is altogether different from any of the foregoing, and most 

 certainly will not coincide with the descriptions given by Falconer of the mandible of E. 

 meridionalis} Indeed, without the molars the jaw is not distinguishable from that of the 

 Mammoth, and, but for one or two characters, might belong to the thick-plated, and 



1 Op. cit., vol. ii, p. 140. 



