572 



MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



existed in the earlier portion of the human period, its remains 

 having been found in a great number of instances in connec- 

 tion with human implements. From its great abundance in 

 Siberia, it might have been safely inferred that the Mammoth 

 was able to endure a much colder climate than either of the 

 living species. This inference, however, has been rendered 

 a certainty by the discovery of the body of more than one 

 Mammoth embedded in the frozen soil of Siberia. These 

 specimens had been so perfectly preserved that even micro- 

 scopical sections of some of the tissues could be made; and 

 in one case even the eyes were preserved. From these speci- 

 mens we know that the body of the Mammoth was covered 

 with long woolly hair. 



Closely allied to the true Elephants are the Mastodons, 

 characterised by the fact that the crowns of the molar teeth 

 have nipple - shaped tubercles placed in pairs. Generally 

 speaking, the two upper incisors formed long curved tusks, as 

 in the Elephants, but in some cases there were two lower 

 incisors as well. The various species of Mastodon all belong 

 to the later Tertiary and Post-tertiary periods. 



The last of the Proboscidea is a remarkable extinct animal, 

 the Deinotherium.' This extraordinary animal has hitherto 



only been found in Miocene de- 

 posits, and little is known of it 

 except its enormous skull. Mo- 

 lars and prsemolars were present 

 in each jaw, and the upper jaw 

 was destitute of canines and in- 

 cisors. In the lower jaw were 

 two very large tusk-like incisors', 

 which were not directed forwards 

 as in the true Elephants, but were 

 bent abruptly downwards (fig. 222). 

 The animal must have attained an 

 enormous size, and it is probable 

 that the curved tusks were used 

 Fig. =22.-Skuii^of ^fi«oM«riV«« either in digging up roots or in 

 ' • mooring the animal to the banks 



of rivers, fbr it was probably aquatic or semi-aquatic in its 

 habits. It is placed by De Blainville in the Sirmia, being 

 regarded as a Dugong with tusk-like lower incisors. 



