361 
interfere with the motion of the lower jaw, unless prevented by some 
accordant modification of its structure. This is found to exist ; the 
lower jaw being so rounded off in the front, as to allow of its motion 
behind the descending alveoli. Both these circumstances are observ- 
able in the fossil jaws examined by M. Cuvier, and also in two por- 
tions which I obtained from Essex. 
This structure must have materially affected the form of the face and 
the organization of the trunk, and must have given the animal a very 
different appearance from that which is borne by the Asiatic elephants. 
It must be, however, admitted, that the jaw-bone mentioned by M. 
Adrian Camper shows, that there does exist an elephant which pos- 
sesses certain characters different from those of the known living 
species, and approaching to those which at present mark the fossil 
species. M. Adrian Camper, it must be added, informs his friend 
Cuvier, that he possesses a jaw-bone of an elephant of Ceylon, which 
differs much from the other recent jaws which he has seen, and very 
closely agrees in its dimensions with the fossil jaw-bones. 
Comparing together the bones of the Asiatic and of the African 
elephant, he was able to discover some differences between them, as 
well as between those and some of the fossil bones which he possessed. 
These latter he found, in general, approached nearest to those of the 
Asiatic elephant. He concludes with supposing that the fossil remains 
are of a species differing more widely from the Asiatic elephant than 
the horse does from the ass, and therefore does not think it impossible 
but that it might have existed in a climate which would have destroyed 
the elephant of India. 
It may, therefore, be assumed as certain, from the observations of 
M. Cuvier, that at least one species of elephants has existed, of which 
none are now known living ; and should the difference of structure 
which I have pointed out, in some of the fossil teeth, be admitted as 
sufficient to designate a difference of species, it may be then said, that 
3 A 
VOL. III. 
