ON THE BONES OF THE MASTODON'. 343 



judge of this by a drawing from the skeleton delate 23). The first 

 vertebrae, which I only know l)y one of the figures of M. Michaelis, 

 appeared to me to bear a strong resemblance to that of the elephant. 



Mr. Peale says, that the spinal apophyses of the three last vertebrae 

 of the neck are shorter than those of the elephant. The second, third, 

 and fourth dorsals have very long apophyses ; they then decrease 

 rapidly to the twelfth, after which they become very short*. In the 

 elephant they are more uniform, which would, indicate greater strength 

 in the muscles of the spine and in the cervical ligament. There are 

 seven cervical, nineteen dorsal, and three lumbar vertebrse. The ele- 

 phant has an additional vertebrae and pair of ribs ; but perhaps those of 

 the mastodon were lost. The ribs are formed differently from those of 

 the elephant, being slight towards the cartilage, and thick and strong 

 towards the back. This difference is more peculiarly remarkable in 

 the first ; the six first pair are very strong compared to the others, 

 which also become very short in proportion ; which joined to the de- 

 pression of the pelvis, indicates that the belly was less capacious than 

 that of the elephant \. 



7. The large Bones of the anterior Ea:tremity. 



1st. The Shoulder-blade appears to have been much narrower than 

 that of the African elephant, and yet to have had its recurring 

 apophysis placed as high as in the Indian elephant, as may be seen by 

 comparing that of the skeleton of our plate 23 with the figs. 6 and 7 

 of our plate 14, upon elephants. In other respects this shoulder blade 

 has all the characteristics of those of the elephant, particularly that of 

 the recurring apophysis, which belongs exclusively to this species, and 

 to some ronguers. That of the skeleton of Mr. Peale measures 0,935 in 

 length. A large fragment, at present in the cabinet of M. Camper, 

 demonstrates that the interior of the spine is cavernous. The articu- 

 lating facette is 0,22 long, and 0,14 wide. The total length of the frag- 

 ment is 0,75. The acromion is wanting; but Mr. Peale represents it 

 as very long and very pointed J. 



2ndly. The Humerus. Mr. Peale remarks, that in general the long 

 bones of the anterior extremity are much thicker in proportion than 

 those of the posterior extremity, and that the difference between them 

 in this particular is more decided than in the elephant. In fact, the 

 humerus of the skeleton (plate 23), and two others of the cabinet of 

 M. Camper, one of which I (give plate 24, figs. 8 and 9), have their 

 inferior crest set much higher than in the elephant, although their gene- 

 ral form is nearly similar. The largest is 0,84 long, its breadth at the 

 base is 0,235. Its crest rises to 0,42, that is to one half its length ; 

 while that of the elephant does not reach beyond two-fifths. The hu- 

 merus of the skeleton of Mr. Peale measures 0,86. 



Srd. The Fore-arm. Mr. Peale contents himself with observing, that 

 the extreme width of the two bones renders the oblique direction of the 

 radius, in front of the cubitus, more decided in this than in any other 



* Historical Disquisition, page 54. f lb, p. 56. J lb. p 7. 



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