170 PROBOSCIDIA. 



[Order Proboscidia.] 

 The Elephant [Elephas Indicus, Cuv. 1 ] . 



The length of the trunk or body from the anterior part of the breast- 

 bone was 3 feet 9 inches. The abdomen is very large for the size of 

 the animal. The thickest part of the belly was about 7 feet 6 inches 

 in circumference. The fore-legs are at a greater distance from each 

 other than common in quadrupeds, although they have no clavicles : 

 this width we may suppose is to allow of the increase of the udder. 

 They have two nipples, one on each side of the sternum, situated 

 between the arms ; about the size of those of a common bitch giving 

 suck. The skin is very thick and tough, but is soft to the feel 2 . 



There is a strong ligamentous substance covering the whole abdomen 

 and thorax, attached also to the spine of the scapula. On the abdomen 

 it is thickest, especially at the linea alba. Besides the tendinous fasciae 

 surrounding the muscles, as in the human subject, there are other fasciae 

 of a yellow colour, thicker, and exceedingly elastic 3 . The use of these 

 last is to supersede the necessity of the more frequent contractions of 

 the muscles underneath. The cellular or uniting membrane is generally 

 of a very singular nature : it is extremely fine in texture, and extremely 

 close ; so much so as not to be pulled in the form of cells, but rather as 

 if matted : it is extremely elastic. However, it is not universally the 

 same; where considerable motion in the parts is wanted, it is of a 

 looser texture, such as that of the penis and prepuce. 



The two ossa ilei are spread wider than what is common to quadru- 

 peds ; very similar to those in the human subject, but, instead of the 

 abdominal muscles being inserted into the upper part of the ossa pubis, 

 they are inserted into the lower part, so that the whole length of the 

 pubis is taken into the cavity of the abdomen. I suspect too that the 

 diaphragm is higher than common, especially at the lower or fore part. 

 The peritoneum is united to the surrounding parts by a vast quantity 

 of cellular membrane similar to that which unites the lungs to their 

 surrounding parts, excepting to the diaphragm. The epiploon is attached 

 all along to the great arch of the stomach, spleen, and anterior trans- 

 verse arch of the colon, and covered great part of the small intestines, 

 as in the dog. It was thin, transparent, forming a bag, as in a young- 

 child, and had lines of adeps, in which was some stony matter accom- 

 panying its vessels. 



The stomach, on the whole, is of the shape of the human stomach, 



1 [The Hunterian specimens of the osteology and dentition of the Indian elephant 

 are:— Nos. 2658—2660, 2662, 2713, 2724—2744, 2763, 2770, 2781—2821.] 



2 [Hunt, Preps. Nos. 1846, 1898, 1956.] » [lb. No. 74.] 



