ELEPHAS MERIDIONALS.—TRUE MOLARS. 
191 
3. TRUE MOLARS. 
The Ante-penultimate or First True Molar. 
The first true molar, according to Falconer, is represented by No. 8 of the Norwich 
Museum, from Mundesley. 1 2 It contains a? 8 a? in 5'3x2'3 inches, and is a left lower 
molar. Dr. Falconer observes: “The discs of the first three ridges are wide and open, 
but irregularly indented, with a tendency to mesial expansion, and surrounded by margins 
of thick enamel, which is vertically channelled externally and slightly crimped.” Again, 
“ One of the distinctive characters of the species, namely, the low height of the crown in 
reference to the breadth, is well exhibited.” 
With reference to the latter, it must be conceded that the character is important in 
the diagnosis of these large broad teeth from the Norfolk coast, but in the present 
instance the crown is about half worn down, consequently the width to height makes the 
contrast. However looked upon, by comparison with similar molars of E. antiquus and 
E. primigenius, the above tooth has a relatively narrow crown for E. meridionalis. The 
enamel of the discs is fully crimped, there is mesial expansion, and the plates are not 
thick. The most that can be said of it is, that the cement is in excess, and the undula¬ 
tions of the enamel (“ vertical channellings ” of Falconer) carry with them characters 
different from the ordinary tooth of E. antiquus; but the specimen altogether is not 
representative of points, which appear much more distinct in other instances, I shall 
describe presently. 
Another instance is adduced* from Mundesley. It is No. 7 of the Norwich Collec¬ 
tion, and belongs to the lower jaw, left side. It is not entire, having only the anterior 
talon and seven plates in 5'5 X 2‘65 inches, and holds five ridges in 3'2 inches. 
Falconer says the enamel ridges are “ thick.” This appears to me by no means the 
case; indeed, by comparison with other teeth, I should consider them the reverse. He 
states that some other plates are “ disposed to slight crimping and irregular angular 
expansions.” They appear to me to show decided crimping and angular expansion; 
which even in typical specimens of E. antiquus is not always regular. The tooth has 
much to recommend it rather for the dental series of the latter species than for E. meri¬ 
dionalis. 
Another tooth, 33,368, B. M., from the same situation, and much rolled, belonging 
to the lower jaw, left side, holds what appears to be a? 7 x in 5‘5 X 2J inches, and seven 
ridges in 4| inches. It is unworn, but the cement wedges are thick, and the general 
grossness of the crown place it, at all events, with the preceding. 
1 Op. cit., vol. ii, p. 134, and ‘ F. A. S.,’ pi. xivB, figs. 5 and 5 a. 
2 Op. cit., vol. ii, p. 135 ; ‘ F. A. S.,’ pi. xiv b, figs. 6 and 6 a. 
