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Ofteographia Elephantina : 
O R, 
A full and exa< 5 t Defcription of all the Bones ol 
an Elephant , which died near Dundee , April the 
2 ythj 1706. with their feveral Dimenfions. 
Communicated in a Letter to Dr. Hans Sloane , 
R. S. Seer. By Mr Vatricl^ Blctir^ Surgeon, 
sir , 
HE ElephAnt, tho’ an Animal To confiderable for its p re f ace 
Bignefs ana Strength, fo remarkable for its extraor-* 
dinary Endowments and Stupendous Aftions (it 1 may 
JL fo call them,) that it has become the Subject of the 
moil Curious Naturalifts of all Ages, and been admir'd by all thofe 
who beheld it • yet has its Body been hitherto very little fub- 
je&ed to Anatomical Enquiries. This induc’d Me (when upon 
jipnl 27. 1706. the lalf Elephant that was in BritAin died near this 
Place) to beftow fome Pains in viewing its Parts at the Opening : 
But the Time was fo Ihort, and Inconveniences I labour’d under 
fo great, that I was doubtful, w ether what I had obfei v’d might 
prove worth your Own or your honourable Society’s while, un- 
til I had addrefs’d your felf, and you were pleafed to honour me 
with a return dated July the nth following: Wherein you fig- 
nify’d, * 1 * * * * You were glad the Elephant had fall’n where Notice 
1 might betaken of its Parts by Diflection, and that the Bones 
‘ would be well worth Obfervation, for feveral Reafons ; but 
c chiefly one, namely, that there have been large Bones, fup- 
‘ pofed to be thole of Elephants , found many Feet deep in 
c the Ground, and that if there were a Sceleton to compare 
‘ them by, that matter would be more certain : And there- 
H 6 * 
