OEDEE OE PACHYDEEMATA. 
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remarkable for the fineness of its grain, whiteness, hardness, and 
for the beautiful polish that can be given to it, is principally 
obtained from the Elephant. 
Elephant ivory is easily recognised by its peculiar structure. 
On the transverse section of it, one remarks streaks going in a 
circle, from the centre towards the circumference, and forming 
lozenges in crossing each other. 
Ivory has been employed by Man as an ornament since the 
most ancient times. Solomon had a throne of ivory covered with 
gold, and the interiors of many opulent houses in J erusalem were 
adorned with it. Homer speaks of ivory being employed as an obj ect 
of ornament. The statue of the Olympian Jupiter, made by the 
Greek sculptor, Phidias, was of ivory and gold. Ivory was, among 
the ancients, of a very great price ; and the Elephant’s tusks figured 
only in the most important public ceremonies. 
The Elephant has no canine teeth. Its molar teeth are com- 
posed of a certain number of plates of a bony substance, covered 
with enamel, and bound together by a cortical or barky matter. 
The manner in which the teeth succeed each other in the Ele- 
phant is well worthy of attention. In other Mammalia, it is ver- 
tically that the second teeth succeed to the milk teeth. But in 
Elephants they come forwards from behind, in such a way that, 
as a molar is worn out, it is pushed forwards by the one which is 
to replace it. The same molar can thus be replaced as many as 
eight times. The tusks, however, are only renewed once. 
The enormous head, the different parts of which we have just 
examined, joins on to a neck so short that its movements are 
very circumscribed and very difficult. The back is arched or 
bowed, and the rump depressed. The tail is short and thin. 
The fore legs have no collar-bone, and seem to be massive 
pillars placed under the body to support its heavy mass. As 
with the hind legs also, their bones are placed in a position per- 
pendicular to the body and to the ground, which gives the animal 
a clumsy and awkward appearance. The fore legs are moreover 
longer than the hind legs, which are very short, and of which the 
leg properly so called, and perhaps the knee, are alone disengaged 
from the body. Under the feet is a sort of callous sole, thick 
enough to prevent the hoofs from touching the ground. The 
hoofs, to the number of from three to five, are shapeless, and do 
