te) THE MISSOURIUM. 
is hidden from the eye of the observer, as it is concealed in and 
under the skull. It is necessary here to remark, that the tusks 
are remarkably large in proportion to the size of the head, and, 
also, that their roots are perfectly firm and solid, so as to leave 
only space for the nerve. ‘The body of those tusks has been a 
formation of coarse ivory, partaking somewhat of the nature of 
bone—so much so, that it will again unite and become whole 
after an injury; which is proved by the fact of the right tusk 
having a large scar where it had been severely injured. As 
soon as the tusks leave the interior of the head, which takes 
place opposite the chin, they run parallel on each side of the 
nose, sinking down to the edge of the upper lip, until they 
reach the outer edge of it; from thence they make a sudden 
bend and run from both sides in a horizontal position, each 
forming somewhat of a semicircle. Measuring those tusks 
from the point of the one to the point of the other, following 
the curvature, is 21 feet; the distance across the head ina 
straight line, from point to point of the tusks, is 15 feet. . 
_ Especially remarkable on the lower jaw is a protuberance 
which is immediately situated over the posterior mental foramen, 
from whence it proceeds out of the ramus in a horizontal posi- 
tion; its point is somewhat bent down, inclining back; its 
length is 2? inches; its diameter at the root is l}inches. I 
consider this protuberance peculiar to the Missourium, as I 
have never seen a similar one on any of the great number and 
variety of fossils I have disinterred or examined, or of animals 
of the present race, and as yet I have never heard it mentioned 
by other naturalists. Another peculiarity of this protuberance 
is, that it possesses points resembling thorns. Iam of the 
opinion that the above described protuberanee was the location 
of some remarkably strong muscles attached to the lower lip, 
that gave it in a great measure the strength and faculty of a 
proboscis. This wise and good provision of nature has been 
necessary to the animal, as the upper part of the head has been 
destitute of this appendage, or, at most, has had a snout not 
larger than that of the South American tapyr. The whole 
length of this the lower jaw, is 3 feet 1 inch; the greatest 
height to the condyle, 1 foot 7 inches; the extreme height te 
