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BRITISH FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 
Dentition of Elephas meridionalis. 
Permanent incisor enormous ; curves gently, like the recent species; thickness 
maintained for nearly half its length, declining gradually towards the tip. Exceptions 
rare. 
General characters of the molar series. —Crowns very broad; collines short in com¬ 
parison with E. antiquus, and generally as compared with E. primigenius; enamel of 
discs thick and rarely crimped, but usually uneven, looped, or channelled; crown con¬ 
stituents generally in excess; plates wide apart, with thick wedges of cement. Excep¬ 
tions not common. 
Molars. —The first milk-molar has five ridges, including talons, the second has eight 
ridges, the third ten ridges; the first true molar from nine to eleven ridges, the second 
from eleven to thirteen ridges, the third from thirteen to sixteen ridges. Exceptions not 
common, except in the true molars. (PI. XVII, fig. 8; PI. XVIII, fig. 4; Pis. XXII 
—XXV.) 
Spinal axis of Elephasprimigenius. —The prominent “hog’s back,” so distinctive of 
the Asiatic as compared with the African Elephant, seems to have been a character also 
in the Mammoth. 
Allas. —Anterior articular surfaces semi-lunar; outer margins of the latter even and 
round; proportions between maximum height and width of neural and odontoid canals 
as 20 to 15. Exceptions rare. (PI. XVII, fig. 1.) 
Axis. —Neural canal nearly as broad as it is high; anterior articular surfaces sub- 
ovate, with round external borders ; odontoid process central. No exceptions out of 
several instances. (PI. XVII, fig. 0.) 
Spinal axis of Elephas antiquus: Atlas. —Anterior articular surfaces wider and more 
rounded than in E. primigenius; outer margins more circular; proportions between height 
and width as 22 to 20 (fig. 2). Differentiations made from a single specimen. 
(PL XVII, fig. 2.) 
Axis. —Anterior articular surfaces subtriangular, and nearly as broad as long; outer 
margins projecting inferiorly and ovoid; odontoid process excentral, and near upper 
margin of centrum (fig. 5). Characters taken from a single specimen. (PL XVII, 
fig. 5.) 
Spinal axis of Elephas meridionalis: Atlas. —Anterior articular surfaces asymme¬ 
trical and bulging inferiorly, with uneven external borders; proportions between height 
and width as 30 to 17. Last-named character not supported by any Italian specimen. 
(PL XVII, fig. 3.) 
Axis. —Neural canal circular; anterior articular surfaces subcordate, with projecting 
external border; odontoid process excentral, and placed on the inferior margin of the 
centrum. (PL XVII, fig. 4.) 
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