Sequel to the Foregoing Account of the Large Fossil Teeth. By P. Collinson, F. R. S.

XLVII. Sequel to the foregoing Account of the large Fossil Teeth. By P. Collinson, F. R. S. Read Dec. 10, 1767. In my observations on the long teeth and grinders, at the last meeting of this Society, I forebore giving my sentiments on these remains of great animals found at the Great Lick, near the river Ohio, being willing the Society should determine for themselves. As I perceived one of the long teeth, or tusks, was channelled or ribbed, near the larger end, I was in some doubt, if peculiar to the elephant. To satisfy myself, I went to a warehouse, where there were teeth of all sorts and sizes for sale; on examining them, I found as many ribbed or channelled, as plain and smooth, so that now, I have no difficulty to pronounce them, agreeing in all respects, with the elephants teeth from Africa and Asia. But as the biting or grinding teeth, found with the others, have no affinity with the molares of the elephant, I must conclude, that they, with the long teeth, belong to another species of elephant, not yet known; or else that they are the remains of some vast animal, that hath the long teeth, or tusks, of the elephant, with large grinders peculiar to that species, being different in size and shape from any other animal yet known. I had one of these grinders, that weighed near four pounds, with as fine an enamel on it, as if just taken out of the head of the creature. The elephant is wholly supported by vegetables; and the animal to which these grinding teeth belong, by their make and form, seemed designed for the biting and breaking off the branches of trees and shrubs for its sustenance; and if I may be allowed to conclude from analogy, that the great heavy unwieldy animals, such as elephants, and the rhinoceros, &c. are not carnivorous, being unable, from want of agility and swiftness, to pursue their prey, so are wholly confined to vegetable food; and for the same reason, this great creature, to which these teeth belong, wherever it exists, is probably supported by browsing on trees and shrubs, and other vegetable food. Explanation of the Fig. in Tab. XXI. and XXII. Tab. XXI. is a side view of a large pronged tooth, that weighed three pounds and three quarters, and was eighteen inches round, and four inches thick. It is now in the possession of the Right Honourable Earl Bute. A. A. A. The prominences of the top or crown. B. B. B. The prongs by which it has been fastened in the sockets. Tab. XXII. represents the top of the tooth; A. A. A. are the sinus's, or concavities between B. B. B. and C. C. C. or the two rows of prominences that form the crown of the tooth.