230 
BRITISH FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 
GENERAL SUMMARY. 
The chief morphological characters and comparisons I have inferred from studies of 
the osseous remains of these three Elephants met with in the British Islands, and similar 
relics elsewhere, may be epitomised as follows: 
As regards their exteriors, nothing is known further than the inference deduced 
from Arctic specimens of the E. primigenius , whose epidermis was clothed with long 
dark-coloured hair having a dense undergrowth of wool, as appertains to Mammals of 
cold climates. 
As regards the cranium of Elephas primigenius, the frontal aspect is lengthened; 
summit narrow; space between the orbits in front narrow; large and long incisive 
sheaths with diverging alveoli; temporal fossa narrow ; depression on the frontal ; 
prominent lachrymal tubercle; zygoma under the level of the condyles, and nearly 
parallel with the molars; ovoid zygomatic arcade. (Pis. VI and YU.) 
Mandible. —Broad, round mental region ; small rostrum; erect diasteme, or nearly 
so; wide symphisial gutter; border of ascending ramus round posteriorly; condyles 
slightly compressed; neck of ditto narrow behind ; dental canal opening upwards; short 
horizontal ramus; height to width of ascending ramus inconspicuous. (Pis. VIII and X.) 
Cranium of E. antiquus. —Characters unknown. 
Mandible. Chin less rounded than E. primigenius; diasteme nearly erect; short 
rostrum; gutter not very wide; dental canal opening inwards; absence of much promi¬ 
nence of posterior border of ascending ramus; horizontal ramus more prolonged than in 
E. primigenius; greater difference between length and breadth of ascending ramus. 
Cranium of E. meridionalis. —Shorter than in E. primigenius ; vertex low and round; 
nasal aperture nearer to summit than in E. primigenius; inter-orbital space narrower; 
slight frontal depression; pointed lachrymal tubercle ; zygoma much below the level of 
the condyles. 
Mandible. —Chin usually less rounded than in either of the other two extinct species; 
low 7 elevation of jaw at the commencement of the diasteme; long and narrow symphisial 
gutter; prolonged horizontal ramus, ending in a rather well-developed rostrum; greater 
height of ascending ramus in proportion to width as compared with the other two forms; 
absence of conspicuous bulging of ascending ramus posteriorly and at the junction with 
the horizontal ramus; dental canal directed backwards; narrowmess of neck behind 
and below condyle. (PI. XXII, fig. 2.) 
I have already indicated several points of distinction between the dentitions of 
