OF LIVING ELEPHANTS. 21 5 



1st. The greatest length of this surface, taken from the summit to 

 the edge of the alveolus, is to its greatest breadth, taken between the 

 post-orbital processes of the frontal bone, as 5 to 3 in the Indian ele- 

 phant, as 3 to 2 in the African elephant. 



2nd. The opening of the nose is nearly in the centre of the face in 

 the Indian elephant ; it is farther by a fifth from the edge of the alveo- 

 lus, than from the top of the head in the African elephant. 



Seen from above, these skulls differ particularly at their zygomatic 

 arches, being more prominent in the African than in the Indian. 



Behind, one is struck with new characters : — 



1st. The height of the alaa of the sphenoid bone makes, in the In- 

 dian elephant, more than three-fourths that of the occipital surface : 

 whilst in the African elephant, it does not constitute the one half. 



2nd. In the African elephant, the posterior extremities of the zygo- 

 matic arches is nearly on a level with the occipital condyles ; in that 

 of the Indian it is much lower. 



3rd. The occiput is terminated superiorly in the African elephant, by 

 a semi-elliptic curve, and its base is formed by two lines at a very 

 open angle. In that of the Indian elephant, the sides are convex 

 arches, and the arched summit slightly concave. 



The molar teeth are placed in beth species on two lines which con- 

 verge before: they differ only by their lamellae, as we have already 

 -said. 



These characters, taken from the form of the cranium, are, as we 

 see, perfectly distinct, and quite sufficient to make known the living 

 species, even exteriorly ; but before applying them to the fossile 

 skulls, it was necessary to determine the varieties which the cranium 

 might undergo of one individual with respect to the other in the 

 same species. 



I then compared my skulls of the Indian elephants together, and 

 did the same thing with my African skulls. 



The latter, of which I had to be sure but two, presented no appre- 

 ciable difference. 



With respect to the former, of which I had a larger number, and 

 for the knowledge of which I was also assisted by beautiful drawings 

 made in London, by M. Clift, Conservator of the Museum of the Col- 

 lege of Surgeons, who is a skilful artist, as well as a good anatomist, 

 I found that they presented some varieties relative to the occiput and 

 to the alveoli of the tusks. 



The occiput is more full in every direction in the one than in 

 the other, without reference to the length of the tusks. 



It is also less elevated in some, and consequently the summit of the 

 head is more rounded, as may be seen in the cranium of mooknah, 

 male and adult, presented by M. Corse to the Museum of the London 

 Surgeons, and represented pi. 18, fig. 3. To judge from the cranium 

 of the young skeleton in Mr. Brooks' cabinet, (pi. 18, fig. 1 & 2) the 

 young individuals might have this part more rounded. 



The alveoli of the tusks of the dauntelah are a little more oblique 

 before ; those of the mooknah, incline a little more straight down- 

 wards. ' x 2 



