124 
BRITISH FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 
of spiculated particles of cancellated bone, and earthy material. 1 There is a loss by dentri- 
tion of the fore part of each molar, which holds 13 x in 9 X 3f. The enamel is thick, with 
much cement and some crimping of the machserides ; indeed, eight ridges are contained 
in 4f inches, which show the great thickness of the plates as compared with the usual 
crowns from the Arctic regions. 
The molars converge considerably, being 2'9 inches apart in front, 3f at their middle, 
and 3f posteriorly. The ramus is 7 inches in thickness at the base of the coronoid. 
The jaw has all the characters of that of the Mammoth already noticed. 3 
Another nearly entire mandible in the British Museum, dredged off Harwich, 
presents some rather remarkable peculiarities. The two molars are in full wear, with a 
loss of some ridges in front by detrition, without a trace of a third tooth in the cavity 
posteriorly, as proved by inspection, although the round prominent heels are elevated, 
and 2<|r inches behind the anterior border of the coronoid. 3 Each molar holds seven¬ 
teen plates in 10^X3J inches, and is considerably arcuated and converges; the distance 
between them in front is 3 inches, at the middle 3J, and behind inches. The 
maximum length of the jaw from the posterior border of the ascending ramus 20 inches. 
Height in front of the molar 8^ inches. Maximum thickness of the ramus 6 1 inches. 
Maximum expanse of the jaw at the middle of the ascending ramus 20 inches. The 
diasteme is perpendicular. 
The numerous molars of the Mammoth derived from peat at Lexden, near Colchester, 
Essex, 4 several of which have been already noticed, point to the fact that the thickness 
or thinness of the enamel cannot always be depended upon as characteristic of races or 
local varieties, although, as has been shown, it is peculiarly thin in Arctic and the so- 
called Ohio and North-American molars, as well as in many teeth from British strata. 
The mandible (No. 95, Fisher Collection) in the Woodwardian Museum contains 
two ultimate molars from Lexden. The teeth are very much detrited, indeed, they 
are nearly worn out, seeing that the heel is only an inch behind the anterior border of 
the coronoid. The rami are lost just behind the teeth, but a fragment of the plug remains 
in the space which a succeeding molar would have occupied. Only eleven to twelve 
1 In the mandibles (2674 and 2664) of Asiatic Elephants in the Museum of the Royal College of 
Surgeons of England, the heels of the first true molars, which are in full wear, are almost in line with 
the anterior border of the coronoid, whilst the second has four collines appearing above the gum, and six 
visible, but none are nearly on a level with the grinding surface of the tooth in use. 
2 The portion of a mandible with two molars holding thirteen worn plates is well shown in the 
1 Fauna Antiqua Sivalensis,’ pi. xiii a. The teeth are of such gigantic dimensions that I cannot help 
assigning their age to be exactly as represented by the Siberian jaw just noticed, i. e. an ultimate molar 
more than half detrited. Falconer had not evidently made up his mind on that subject, ‘ Pal. Mem.,’ 
vol. i, p. 439. 
3 The mandible 2675 (Asiatic Elephant), Royal College of Surgeons Museum, has the second true 
molar with twelve to thirteen ridges invaded, and the heel two inches behind the anterior border of the 
diasteme. The vault of the third molar is broken through, and the tips of the collines are just visible. 
4 See p. 110. 
