OEDEE OP PACHYDEEMATA. 117 



remarkable for tiie fineness of its grain, whiteness, hardness, and 

 for the beautiful polish that can be given to it, is principally 

 obtained from the Elephant. 



Elephant ivory is easily recognised by its peculiar structure. 

 On the transverse section of it, one remarks streaks going in a 

 circle, from the centre towards the circumference, and forming 

 lozenges in crossing each other. 



Ivory has been employed by Man as an ornament since the 

 most ancient times. Solomon had a throne of ivory covered with 

 gold, and the interiors of many opulent houses in Jerusalem were 

 adorned with it. Homer speaks of ivory being employed as an object 

 of ornament. The statue of the Olympian Jupiter, made by the 

 Greek sculptor, Phidias, was of ivory and gold. Ivory was, among 

 the ancients, of a very great price ; and the Elephant's tusks figured 

 only in the most important public ceremonies. 



The Elephant has no canine teeth. Its molar teeth are com- 

 posed of a certain number of plates of a bony substance, covered 

 with enamel, and bound together by a cortical or barky matter. 



The manner in which the teeth succeed each other in the Ele- 

 phant is well worthjr of attention. In other Mammalia, it is ver- 

 tically that the second teeth succeed to the milk teeth. But in 

 Elephants they come forwards from behind, in such a way that, 

 as a molar is worn out, it is pushed forwards by the one which is 

 to replace it. The same molar can thus be replaced as many as 

 eight times. The tusks, however, are only renewed once. 



The enormous head, the different parts of which we have just 

 examined, joins on to a neck so short that its movements are 

 very circiunscribed and very difficiilt. The back is arched or 

 bowed, and the rump depressed. The tail is short and thin. 

 The fore legs have no collar-bone, and seem to be massive 

 pillars placed tmder the body to support its heavy mass. As 

 with the hind legs also, their bones are placed in a position per- 

 pendicular to the body and to the ground, which gives the animal 

 a clumsy and awkward appearance. The fore legs are moreover 

 longer than the hind legs, which are very short, and of which the 

 leg properly so called, and perhaps the knee, are alone disengaged 

 from the body. Under the feet is a sort of callous sole, thick 

 enough to prevent the hoofs from touching the ground. The 

 hoofs, to the number of from three to five, are shapeless, and do 



