XI.—The Anatomy of the Head of a Fœtal African Elephant, Elephas africanus (Loxodonta africana)

Abstract

The following account of the anatomy of the head of a fœtal African Elephant was made possible by the acquisition of a single specimen, preserved immediately after extraction from the mother, who was shot in the Belgian Congo. As far as is known, this fœtus is the only well-preserved specimen in existence, the total number of fœtuses recorded since 1734 being twelve.Apart from the skeleton, our knowledge of the anatomy of present-day Proboscideans is very meagre. The dissection hitherto carried out has been either a hasty study of the complete adult carcase, or a more lengthy observation of preservedportionsof the animals. Both methods lead to inaccuracy, and provide an explanation of the numerous discrepancies in the accounts. When, therefore, the present Congo foetus was acquired by purchase from the Belgians who preserved it, and Professor D. M. S. WATSON kindly allowed me to have it for dissection, I determined to make the fullest possible use of this unique specimen. The dissection of the head was carried out under the Zeiss Binocular Dissecting Microscope, and sketches and photographs were prepared at intervals, so that every record should be kept.