different Species of Asiatic Elephants . 217 
the case in the human species, and in most other animals,) it 
must appear evident, that an elephant can never shed his teeth ; 
but, from this regular succession, he may, at one period, have 
only a single grinder in each side of either jaw; (Tab. X. and 
XI.) at another, there may be one and part of a succeeding 
grinder ; (Tab. VII.) even a still greater variety in the appear- 
ance of the grinders will take place, according as the anterior 
one is more or less worn away, and the waste supplied by its 
successor. 
In this manner, the growth of new teeth, to compose a suc- 
ceeding grinder, and the ossification and formation of the fangs, 
are constantly going on, in regular succession; so that, after the 
second year, the mouth of the elephant is constantly filled with 
as many laminae of the grinders on each side as it can hold. 
This process is beautifully and clearly exemplified in Tab. VI. 
VII. X. XI. and XII. 
While the grinders thus advance forward in the .mouth, in 
regular succession, the alveolus of each advances along with 
them ; and, as the anterior fangs are absorbed, the same process 
is going on in the alveoli. 
This is evident from Tab. VII. where the partition between 
the alveolus of the anterior and succeeding grinder, appears 
equally distinct as the one behind the last grinder, but will af- 
terwards disappear, as soon as the roots of its preceding grinder 
are absorbed. In like manner, the partition between this and 
the incipient alveolus of the next succeeding grinder will come 
forward in the jaw, in proportion as the grinder itself comes 
into use. 
In the partition between each alveolus there is a communi- 
cation, which, in young elephants, is larger than in those far- 
