ELEPHAS MERIDIONALIS.—FEMUR. 
223 
Girth, midshaft, 20J inches. 
Breadth across both condyles 12 inches. 
Antero-posterior diameter of the outer condyle along the curve, by tape 20, and by 
callipers 11 inches. 
Antero-posterior diameter, by tape, along the curve of the inner condyle 21 inches. 
The condyles coalesce more than in the Mammoth, and leave a narrow fissure. 1 The 
outer condyle is like the African, being more globose than in the Mammoth. 
Mr. Johnson possesses, likewise, the distal extremity of another huge femur from 
Palling. The antero-posterior diameter of the outer condyle is 17'5 inches, and the 
inner (both measured along the curve by tape) is 18 inches. The maximum breadth of 
the intervening sulcus posteriorly is 5’5 inches, and the linear measurement across both 
condyles 9’5 inches. 
Here the intercondyloid space is very narrow, as in the Mammoth, and there is con¬ 
siderable bending inwards of the condyles, more so than I have seen in the femur of any 
other European or fossil Elephant, or, indeed, in either of the recent species. 
Another entire femur (PI. XXVI, figs. 3, 3 a, and 3 bf was lately discovered by Mr. 
Savin, at Overstrand, near Cromer, and is now in the possession of Mr. J. Backhouse, 
West Bank, York, to whom I am under obligations for two excellent photographs 
of the specimen, and the following data in regard to its dimensions. The bone is 
nearly entire, excepting the head and neck, which are fractured. This and Mr. Johnson’s 
specimen appear to have belonged to individuals which had perished, like the Irish 
Elk, by being either mired or drowned, their carcases, in the latter case, floating down a 
river, and the remains deposited in an estuary or delta. 
The total length is 49f inches; girth (by tape) at midshaft 18 inches. Breadth at 
the great trochanter is 14 inches; girth of ditto 3G inches; girth of ball 22 inches. 
Maximum girth of distal articulation 34 inches. Maximum breadth across the condyles 
(linear) lOj inches. Antero-posterior measurement of the inner condyle (by tape) 
16 inches and the outer 18f inches. 
The general outline of this thigh-bone, judging from figs. 3 and 3 a, is quite in keep¬ 
ing with that of Mr. Johnson’s specimen. Considering, however, that any points of 
specific value cannot be determined without careful comparisons, I am constrained to 
rely altogether on the similarities of contour; whilst as regards dimensions it must be 
conceded that there are very wide discrepancies. The relation, however, of the Cromer 
femur with that of the Mammoth would, on the score of size, be quite exceptional, and 
as regards contour there are the following differences:—In the latter there is a decided 
bulging about the junction of the middle and lower third externally, as seen in 
PI. XIX, fig. 7, and a more general flattening of the shaft in the antero-posterior 
1 This is well seen likewise in pi. xvi, fig. 5, ‘ Ossem. Fossil.,’ in a distal fragment from Italy. 
2 Nesti, op. cit., records a femur from the Val d’Arno, l - 400 m., being fully 2 inches longer than the 
above. 
