Yol. 59.] THE ELK IN THE THAMES VALLEY. 83 



posterior tines as now preserved = about 18 inches (457 mm.) ; but 

 when perfect it must have been 22^ inches (560 mm.) wide. Length 

 of beam from burr to beginning of palmation = about 5 inches 

 (120mm.). Least distance between two burrs = 8 inches (202 mm.). 

 Greatest width of skull at hinder and outer margin of orbits = 

 8| inches (223 mm.). 



The form of this skull; the palmation of the antlers; the outward 

 direction of these from the frontals ; as well as the absence of any 

 brow -tine, are characters which prove this specimen to have 

 belonged to the elk (Alces machlis). 



Lower jaw. — The pair of rami found with the skull and antlers 

 undoubtedly belong to an adult elk, and almost certainly are parts 

 of the same animal as the skull and antlers just described. A 

 comparison of these rami with several jaws of elk in the Museum 

 of the Royal College of Surgeons leaves no doubt as to their specific 

 identity. The description of the left ramus, which will now be given, 

 would do equally well for the ramus of one of the specimens of Alces 

 machlis ; such small differences as exist will be pointed out in the 

 course of the description. 



The jaw is cervine in character, and led me in the first instance 

 to compare it with the great Irish deer (Cervus giganteus) ; but 

 obvious differences are at once seen, which prevent its reference to 

 that animal. 



The great length of this ramus is very striking, and this 

 peculiarity is especially marked in the region of the diastema ; the 

 distance between the anterior premolar tooth and the alveolus for 

 the outermost incisor is 6 inches (153 mm.), and must have been 

 more than 7 inches (175 mm.) when perfect. In the region of the 

 cheek-teeth the ramus is flattened from side to side, more com- 

 pressed indeed than in either of the rami of recent elks with which 

 it has been compared. The length of the ramus, 19| inches 

 (480 mm.), is greater than in either of the recent specimens ; 

 while the six cheek-teeth occupy rather less space than the teeth of 

 those specimens. 



The molar teeth differ in pattern from the premolars, but all 

 have short crowns and coarse enamel. On the outer side the anterior 

 true molar has a large tubercle at the base between the two lobes, 

 while the second and third true molars only show a very small 

 tubercle in this position. In three recent male elks this tubercle is 

 only seen in the first true molar : but the lower jaw of a female has 

 it well developed in all three true molars. In the great Irish deer 

 (Cervus giganteus) this tubercle is large in all the true molars. 



The premolar teeth are proportionately large: the hindermost 

 one having as great an antero-posterior extent as the first true 

 molar ; and the enamelled crown is absolutely higher than in that 

 tooth. This same hindermost premolar has the outer 7 surface 

 divided into two distinct lobes — the anterior larger than the posterior 

 lobe, and separated, the one from the other, by a deep groove, 



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