OJf THE FOSSIL- BONES OF THE ELEPHANT. 313 



less straight towards the back part ; in that of Abbeville, on the con- 

 trary, it is straighter, and the bone is flatter, as if it had been crushed. 

 The right os cuneiforme (plate 16, fig. 19) is also from the Museum 

 of Targioni ; it is 0,234 in breadth, and 0,081 in height. It differs 

 but little from that of the living elephant, if v^^e except the circumstance 

 of its posterior articulating surface being rectangular, while ia the 

 living subject it wears the shape of a triangle. 



The right os cuneiforme (plate 16, fig. 20), also from the same 

 Museum, is 0,144 in breadth, and 0,127 in height. It is smaller than 

 that of the living elephant, its upper surface is more squai'e, the planes 

 of its lower surface are more decided. 



I also discovered in the same Museum, an os trapezoide (plate 16, 

 fig. 21), 0,146 broads and 0,124 high. It differs from that of the living 

 animal, by a somewhat greater length in the upper surface, and a some- 

 what greater breadth in the lateral surface. 



These four bones have belonged to elephants of nearly the same 

 height, and possibly may have belonged to the same animal, which 

 in that case might have been about fourteen feet and a half high. 



Although each of these bones of the carpus, taken seperately, differs 

 in some respects from the corresponding one of the living animEd. with 

 which I have compared it, and as these bones vary according to certain 

 degrees from the living animal to the other, ] do not attach much im- 

 portance to the characters which they furnish, 



Sth. The Hind-foot. — Of all the bones composing the hind-foot of 

 the fossil elephant, I have only had the opportunity of examining the 

 astragalus. M. Miot, formerly French Ambassador in Tuscany, has 

 had the kindness to send me one, which he picked up in the valley of 

 the Arno. I have given an engraving of it, plate 7, fig. 2, f, and close 

 to it, two others belonging to living elephants. Besides its size, it is 

 distinguishable at the first glance by the angles of its tibial surface, 

 w^hich approach more nearly to a right line, Avhile the surface itself is 

 more square. This character is not more individual than the others. 



A portion of an astragalus, from the Museum of Stuttgart, a draw- 

 ing of which has been sent me by M. Jeegtr (plate 14, fig. 4), is similar 

 to that of the valley of the Arno. They are both of the same size, and 

 formed part of an individual from ten to eleven feet in height. 



I have not been fortunate enough to procure any other bone be- 

 longing to the hind leg of this animal. 



C. — On what is known of the soft parts. 



By continuing the researches in the coldest regions of Siberia 

 hopes might still be entertained of discovering a mammoth with all its 

 soft parts preserved b^"- the ice ; and even at the present time, that of 

 Mr. Adams furnishes us with most precious information on this 

 subj ect. 



Previous to its being cut, a drawing of it was taken, a copy of 

 which has been transmitted to me. Although a little rouo-h in 

 execution, it corresponds entirely in the length of the face with the 

 indications of fossil skulls ; the trunk and the head were uantiiif^ but 

 a kind of reddish bristles were visible all round it. I have since 



