4(54 E LEP 
and the convex furface has been worn down by the tritu¬ 
ration of the food, each lamina appears to have been 
formed on feveral points, which are covered by a ftrong 
enamel. There are from four to eight of thefe points, 
joined together by the common bony matter, which fills 
up the fpace between the enamelled portions. When 
the grinder, however, is farther advanced in the mouth, 
its foremoft laminae are gradually worn down by the maf- 
tication of the food ; and thefe enamelled points or den- 
ticuli difappear, one after another, till the enamel, at lad, 
runs quite acrofs the tooth, (urrounding the central part 
on which it was formed, and taking the irregular indented 
plaited flutpe of the lamellae. This bony centre, on 
which the enamel is formed, is harder than the matter 
which joins the teeth together, does not wear fo faft, and 
confequently remains higher. 
“ The number of teeth of which a grinder is compofed, 
varies from four to twenty-three, according as the ele¬ 
phant advances in years; fo that a grinder, or cafe of teeth,' 
in full grown elephants, is more than fufficient to fill one 
fide of the mouth; in proportion, however, as the fore- 
mod layers are worn away, the fucceeding ones come for¬ 
ward, to fupply their places. The denticuli of which 
each layer or tooth is compofed, are much larger, and 
fewer in number, in old than in young elephants; in con- 
fequence of this, tlie fame number of laminae generally 
fills the jaw of a young or of an old elephant; and, from 
three till fifty years, there are from ten to twelve teeth 
or laminae in ufe, in each fide of either jaw, for the rnaf- 
tication of the food, 
“ When feveral of the anterior teeth of which a grinder 
is compofed have been completely formed, and each tooth 
covered with its proper enamel, they become firmly 
united (beginning at the fore part) by the intervention of 
the common bony matter, which gradually fills up the 
interllices between them. When tiie bodies of feveral of 
the anterior laminae have been connedled together, the 
inferior edge of each becomes united in the fame manner, 
to the. one next it, till the whole are thus gradually 
joined, and form a grinder or cafe of teeth. As foon as 
the anterior part of the grinder is thus firmly united, the 
fangs or roots are next added: thefe, at firft, appear in 
the form of a thin curtain or lamella of bone; extending 
backwards, along fome of the anterior laminae, at their 
lowec edges. A fang common to the three anterior teeth, 
fii ft begins to be fonned by the oflification {hooting acrofs 
from each fide, in a circular direction, at the anterior por¬ 
tion of the firft and the pofterior part of thp third lami¬ 
na. Thefe join and become longer, alfuming a conical- 
fhape: the hollow is gradually filled up by" fucceffive 
layers of the fubftance of the tooth, as the fang length¬ 
ens, till at lad it becomes folid. This, however, does 
not happen, till the three layers to which the fang is at¬ 
tached are nearly worn away. When its ofiification is al- 
moft completed, another procefs begins to take place, 
which is, the abforption of the fang from its external 
furface. 
“ By the time that the anterior layers of the grinders 
are completely worn down, both the fangs and the alve¬ 
olar procefies begin to be abforbed. Their places are 
gradually fupplied by the next laminae of the grinder, 
and their fangs, coming forward in a confiant fuccefiion. 
When the laft tooth of a grinder has advanced fufficiently 
in the jaw to fupply the place of its predeedfor, the an¬ 
terior tooth of the next fucceeding grinder comes for¬ 
ward, to fupply its place. From this peculiar manner in 
which the grinders are fupplied from behind, but never 
from beneath, a preceding grinder, (as is the cafe in the 
human fpecies, and in moll other animals,) it mull ap¬ 
pear evident, that an elephant can never (lied his teeth ; 
but, from this regular fuccefiion, he may, at one period, 
have o: ly a fingle grinder in each fide of either jaw ; at 
another, there may be one and part of a fucceeding 
grinder; even a ftill greater variety in the appearance of 
the grinders will take place, according as the anterior one 
H A S. 
is more or lefs worn away, and the wafie fupplied by its 
fucceffor. In this manner, the growth of new teeth,' to 
compofe a fucceeding grinder, and the ofiification and 
formation of the fangs, are conftantly going on, in regu¬ 
lar fuccefiion ; fo that, after the fecond year, the mouth 
of the elephant is conftantly filled with as many laminae 
of the grinders on each fide as it can hold. 
' “ While the grinders thus advance forward in the 
mouth, in regular fuccefiion, the alveolus or focket of 
each advances along with them ; and, as the anterior 
fangs are abforbed or decayed, the fame.procefs is going-' 
on in the alveoli. In like manner, the partition between 
this and the incipient alveolus of the next fucceeding 
grinder will come forward in the jaw, in proportion as the 
grinder itfelf comes into ufe. In the partition between 
each alveolus there is a communication, which, in young 
elephants, is larger than in thofe farther advanced in 
years; and it i„s probable, that this canal or (inus between 
the different alveoli,-admits the paftage of an elongation 
of the membrane, from the anterior to the pofterior 
grinder. The time requifite for the complete formation 
of one of thefe cafes of teeth, conftituting a grinder, va¬ 
ries from two to fix or eight years ; and, when an elephant 
has attained its full fize, a conliderable number of the 
anterior laminae mull be worn away, and the fangs ab¬ 
forbed, before the pofterior ones can be fufficientiy ad¬ 
vanced to cut the gum. 
“ In the lower jaw, the fame circumftances take place ; 
tiie teeth of the grinders rife by the addition ot their 
fangs, force their way through the alveoli, and cut the 
gum, as they advance forward in the jaw. The grinding 
furface in the lower jaw has rather a concave form, to 
adapt itfelf to that of the grinder in the upper jaw. 
The number of layers does not always correfpond with 
thofe of the grinder in the upper jaw ; but, like them, 
conftfts of from four to about twenty-three teeth or lami¬ 
nae. In the lower jaw, the portion of the alveolus which 
is attached to the inner plate, is thick and fpongy; and, 
through the under part of this fpongy fubftance, there is 
a large foramen, for tranfmitting the blood-velfels and 
nerves which fupply the teeth and lower jaw. The al¬ 
veolus or focket of the grinder advances in the fame 
manner in the lower as in the upper jaw; and, as the 
fangs are abforbed, it is abforbed alfo. In proportion as 
the fangs or roots are added to the grinder, it rifes through 
the alveolus, and cuts the gum ; at the fame time, the 
bottom of the alveolus, in which the grinder is formed, 
becomes more fpongy, and (boot's up between the fangs, 
firmly embracing them, and thus preventing the grinder 
from being lhaken or difturbed by the trituration of the 
food. 
“ The firft fet of grinders, or milk teeth, begin to cut 
the gum eight or ten days 'after birth ; and the grinders 
ot' the upper jaw appear before thole of the lower one. 
Though this happens at firft, yet, in a few months, the 
grinders in the lower jaw come forward fafter than thofe 
of the upper. In about fix weeks, thefirft let of grinders k 
can be eafily felt, confiding of four teeth, viz. one on 
each fide of either jaw; and, as young elephants begin 
to eat grafs, or fome foft fuccule'nt food, before they are 
three months old, we may conclude, that the firft fet of 
grinders have then completely cut the gum, and that 
dentition is not attended with any fymptoms of pain, or 
irritation, in the fyftem. By a let I mean four, one 
grinder in each fide of either jaw. The-milk grinders 
are not (hed, as the tufks are, but are gradually worn 
away, during the time the fecond fet are coming forward ; 
and, as foon as the body of the grinder is nearly worn 
away, the fangs begin to be abforbed. 
“ I have not been able to afeertain the exaft time when 
the fecond fet of grinders make their appearance, as I 
could never get an elephant to open his mouth in Inch a 
manner as to permit me to examine his teeth accurately ; 
but, when the elephant is about two years old, the fecond 
fet are completely in ufe. At this period, the third fet 
2 begin 
