File:The Quarterly journal of the Geological Society of London (12684160935).jpg

188
PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. .Mar. 10,
Fig, 3.— Molar Tooth
of Extinct Beaver^
from Copford.
Lateral view.
Grinding surface.
examination of portions of this bed, the fol-
lowing remains have been found : —
Limneus pereger. Valvata cristata.
Succinea. Cyclas .'
Planorbis albus. Pisidium amnicum.
imbricatus. Candona reptans.
Bithinia (opercula). lucens.
Valvata piscinalis. Cypris gibba.
The shells are much more abundant in the
upper part of the clay than below, which
latter is mixed with siliceous sand, ferrugi-
nous grains, minute fragments of chalk, and
a few of the most common chalk Forami-
nifera^ together with portions of Sphagnum.
The following also have been obtained
from the blue clay : —
Elephant ; cuneiform bone of right fore-foot, large
fragments of leg bone, and fragments of ribs.
Stag ; scapula and antlers.
Aurochs ; horn-core.
Bear; metacarpal bone (fourth digit). Very large
species (fig. 2).
Beaver ; two molar teeth*. Extinct ? species (fig. 3).

• Some observations by Mr. Waterhouse on the Beaver teeth and the Bear's
  

bone are given in the following note : —
" British Museum, July 16, 1852.
" My Dear Sir, — I have compared the two molar teeth of the Beaver, from
Copford, with the teeth of the European and North American species, also with
the teeth of a Beaver from the Fens of England, and with those of a jaw found at
Ilford. I have little doubt that the Copford tooth, above figured, is the second
molar of the right side of the lower jaw. It may be observed that this specimen
differs from all, in the direction of the folds of enamel, and in being larger.
'* The hindermost of the three inner folds of enamel runs directly inwards, and
meets the outer fold in the middle of the tooth ; and both folds are perfectly straight.
In the European Beaver, the inner fold in question, upon meeting the outer fold,
is bent suddenly backwards ; besides which, in the recent skull and in the fossil
from Ilford, there is a second little branch thrown backwards from the posterior
internal fold.
" The transverse diameter of this tooth measures 5 lines ^ at the crown, and 6
hues at the root ; and the antero-posterior diameter of the crown is 4 lines 2; from
this it will be seen that the crown of the tooth as represented in the woodcut is
rather under the natural size. The second Beaver tooth from Copford scarcely
differs from that of the European species.
" The foot-bone belongs to a Bear of large size (fully equal to the Ursus spe-
IcBus in this respect), and is the fourth metacarpal of the right fore-foot.
" Faithfully yours,
" To John Browny Esq., F.G.S." " Geo. R. Waterhouse."
1 Scarcely 4 lines in a very large Beaver skull (rather more than 6 inches in
length) from the River Donau.
2 Four lines in the Beaver skull from the River Donau. The proportions, then,
of the crown of the Copford tooth differ from those of the recent animal. The
enamel of the Copford tooth is broken away at the extreme edge in the front of