184 
Analyses of Books. 
The two species of Mastodon are new, and what is interesting to remark, they 
appear to fill up an interval which existed between the genera Mastodon and Elephas. 
“ On comparing the teeth of our Mastodon latidens," says Mr. Clift, “ with 
those of the Mastodon of the Ohio (M. gigauteuui) , we shall find the elevated points 
or ridges in the tooth of the former more numerous, less distant, and the interstices 
Jess deep Ilian in those of the latter ; in short, we shall observe that the teeth begin 
to assume the appearance of those of the elephant. On advancing to Mastodon 
elephanloides, we shall find all these features of similarity more strongly developed, 
the points and ridges are still more numerous, and the structure, were it not tor the 
-absence of crust u petrosa * becomes almost that of the tooth of the elephant. In 
both, though the teeth are formed upon the principle by which the tooth of the 
.Mastodon is distinguished from that of the elephant, the crown of the tooth wears 
away more like the tooth of the elephant than that of the other Mastodons; and 
when worn, exhibits a surface not unlike that presented by the worn tooth of an 
Asiatic elephant." ' 
Of the two species of Mastodon, M. latidens was the larger. “ The tusks, judg- 
ing from the alveoli, must have been of equal volume with the tusks of the largest 
living elephant." His habits “ must have borne a close relation to those ot the 
elephant The proboscis must have been an organ of equal power with that of the 
elephant, for collecting the food to be subjected to the action of the powerful grind- 
ers ; and this food (judging from the general structure of the teeth and the more 
compact jaw bone) probably consisted of harder vegetable matters than those which 
the slighter structure of the. elephants jaw usually encounters." 
** The siae of M. latidens appears to have equalled, if it did not surpass, that of the 
largest living elephant. A string passed round the lower jaw, over the anterior 
part of the grinder where it is worn, measured two feet four inches; while a 
string passed round the lower jaw of the largest Asiatic elephant in the museum of 
the college, at the same point, gave two feet three inches ; and the cranium of this 
elephant has always been considered a very large one.'’ 
The M. elepkantoides , though smaller than the preceding, appears to have had a 
closer affinity to the elephant, and this not only in the teeth, but in the contour of 
the jaw. It appears to have formed the transition between the two genera of Mas- 
todon and Elephas. Mr. Clift, however, thinks it “ not impossible that there may yet 
be alink wanting which might be supplied by an animal having a tooth composed of 
-a greater number of denticules, increasing in depth, and having the rudiments of 
crusta pelrosa > that necessary ingredient in the tooth of the elephant, and the entire 
absence of which distinguishes the tooth of the Mastodon." 
For the satisfaction of the scientific naturalist we subjoin tlic specific characters . 
M. latidens. — M. dentibus molaribus latissiinis, denticulis rotuudatis, elevatis ; 
palato valde angusto. 
M. elepkantoides. — M. dentibus molaribus latis, denticulis numerosis, compressis. 
Of the. other remains no tiling can be predicated with certainty as to the species, 
the fragments being too few or imperfect. 
* 1 It is worthy of remark, that most of the bones do not appear to have under- 
gone any mineral change, with the exception of being abundautly penetrated with 
liydrate of iron ; and that they are very brittle. This last circumstance, arising from 
the loss of their animal gluten, indicates that they are of great antiquity, and that 
they have not been imbedded in any very compact soil." 
“ The teeth of the Mastodon from the banks of the Ohio, which lie in a strong 
blue clay, have almost as much animal matter as we should expect to find in a 
xecent tooth.” , 
“ The bones which form the subject of this memoir are almost in every instance 
fractured ; and the fracture, from its direction and cleanness, the sharpness of its 
edges, and the firm texture of some of the bones, appears to have been produced 
by a very great power operating with sudden violence." It may be added that 
these remains “ indicate the. existence of animals which could only have found 
subsistence in vast forests or widely extended plains, in marshes, or deep broad 
rivers." 
Dr. Buckland in liis paper remarks : “ It cannot but occur to us in this stage of 
our inquiry as remarkable, that not one fragment is found in all this collection, 
either of the elephant, tiger, or hyaena, which now abound so much in India; 
whilst the mastodon, whose living analogue exists not upon earth, must probably at 
one time have swarmed in the districts bordering on the Irawadi. The same ano- 
logy which emboldened me in my first paper on the cave of Kirkdale, to anticipate 
the discovery which was speedily made of hyaenas’ bones in the diluvium of Eng- 
