MY Ambition to serve the R.S. in general, & my Obligations to your self in particu­lar, are the only Motives that induce me to communicate my Observations on the Elephant burned here last Summer; for I understand that they are likely to be made publick, and am very unwilling to appear in Print, especially at the dis­advantages which now I must: For People admi­ring the Elephant, as well for his docility, as bulk, and rareness in these Countries, will expect so cu­rious an account of him, as may furnish them with the Reasons, why he comes to be more capable of doing things which seem to require Ratiocination, than any other Brute that we know. They may moreover think that from an exact description of the several parts of his Body, most, if not all Ves­sels and Organs being larger considerably in him, [Page 4] than in other Creatures, a great light into the true uses of parts might be had.

Now Sir, I must desire you to inform that Ho­nourable Society, for whom you design these fol­lowing Notes, and of whom you are a Member, with the Reasons why I cannot answer such great expectations. My want of Optick Glasses, and of other helps for curious Observations were conside­rable.

Moreover the Circumstances of time and place were unfortunate; for the Booth wherein the Ele­phant was kept, took fire about Three a Clock in the morning, on Friday the 17th of June; upon this the City being alarm'd, multitudes were ga­thered about the place: And when the fire was extinguished every one endeavoured to procure some part of the Elephant, few of them having seen him living, by reason of the great rates put upon the sight of him. To prevent his being taken away by the multitude, the Manager, Mr. Wilkins, procured a File of Musqueteers to guard him, till he should build a shed where he might se­curely disjoint him, in order to the making of a Skeleton: This he got finished at Seven a Clock at Night, and about Eight I heard of his design. Be­ing desirous to inform my self in the structure of the Elephant, I made search for him, and having [Page 5] found him I proffered my service to him; of which when he accepted, I endeavoured to persuade him to discharge some Butchers which he had in a rea­diness to order the Elephant after their way, and to leave the whole management of the matter to me, and to such as I thought fit to employ, de­signing a general dissection, and that the Icons of each part should be taken in order by some Paint­ers, with whom upon this occasion I could prevaile: But my endeavours prov'd fruitless, because that about Ten a Clock that night, when we went to the shed, to find what condition the Elephant was in, he emitted very noisom steams. These made the Manager fear (the shed being very near the Council-Chamber, and the Custom-House,) that the Ld. Lt. or Ld. Mayor would order it to be ta­ken away as a nuysance, and that so in all proba­bility it should be lost, and that perhaps he him­self should be punished for suffering it to be there. When I considered, that in case he did not dispose of him that Night, the next Day being Saturday, I should be able to accomplish but a small part of what I designed, and that it would be both charge­able and difficult to preserve him from the rabble till Monday, and that then the stink would be alto­gether intolerable, if it should encrease in propor­tion to what it had done that day. I consented to [Page 6] have the business done that night, and for expedi­tions sake, to make use of the Butchers as Assistants, but so as to be directed by my self in every thing: But their forwardness to cut and slash what came first in their way, and their unruliness withal did hinder me from making several Remarks which otherwise I would have made: Thus the Ele­phant was disjointed by Candle-light. Some parts were burnt, most of those that were not, were more or less defac'd by being parboiled. This may satisfie the R. S. how difficult it was to give a sa­tisfactory Anatomical Account of the Elephant, and that the following slender one is given to shew my readiness to serve them, and my Obedience to your Commands.

I shall not trouble you with a Repetition of what has been said of the Elephant by Pliny, Gesner, Ta­vernier, and others, being very little, if any way, instructive to any desirous to understand the Ana­tomy of that Creature, but shall faithfully, and as plainly as I can, acquaint you with what occur­red remarkable to me, upon a view of the several parts of his Body, and shall add only some con­jectures of my own concerning the uses of some parts derived from their structure.

Cuticula.I shall begin with the Cuticula, (of which I keep a piece which was raised by the Fire from a part of [Page 7] the Cutis, on which the Elephant was found lying, and which therefore was not defac'd) when I ex­amined this, I found it covered all over with a strange sort of Scab, in many places resembling old Warts, deeply jagg'd, and the carnous Fibres of the Muscles of Beef, when much boiled, and transversly cut, but of a dirty tawny Colour. These Scabs (if I may so call them) both slit and cut, lookt like short pieces of Whalebone. They did so firmly stick to the Cuticula, that I could not pull them from it, nor the parts of which they consist­ed (though they were much divided) from one a­nother, without tearing it. And yet the Cuticula was much tougher and thicker than any that I have seen.

The length of these Scabs was in some ⅓ or ¼ but in other places not above 1/10 or 1/12 of an Inch. The cause of which difference I take to be the Ele­phants wearing, by rubbing or lying, some parts of them, whilst others were slightly or not at all worn.

I could find but very few Hairs without this scab, but many within, and even with it. The Elephants inclinations to Itch, and to rub himself against what­ever came in his way, kept those Hairs that were even with the outside of the aforesaid scab, from appearing of any considerable length. The hard­ness [Page 8] of the scab by keeping the Roots of the Hairs fast, did very much contribute to their wearing on the outside, as well as to their preservation on that within. The length of the Hairs for the most part was equal to that of the Scabs.

The Hair.The Hair in the Cutis, when divested of its Cu­ticula, were numerous, and many of them were considerably stiffer and thicker than the bristles of a Hog. They were black, and as many as were found in the Cuticula, when separated from the Cu­tis, were plainly covered over with thin Mem­branes, from the extremity of the Roots to the Cuticula. These (with submission to better Judg­ment) I take to be the linings to peculiar ductus, which by the heat of the Fire were separated from them, as the Cuticula was from the Cutis. In these ductus the Hairs were manifestly planted. Now seeing that close about the Roots of Hairs, as well as on the Pores, near which there is no Hair, a dew may be discerned soon after sweat is wiped away. I take it to be reasonable to think, that there are two sorts of Pores in the skins of Animals. One small, designed altogether for the separation of such Liquors and Vapours, as are usually thrown off by insensible Perspiration and Sweat. The other to contain and nourish Hairs; for at the bottom of each of these ductus there appeared to the naked Eye [Page 9] small Glandules when the Skin was divided to the ex­tremity of the roots. These I suppose to be the glandulae miliares, observ'd by the most accurate Ana­tomists, Segnior Malphigi, and Dr. Steno, in their structure of the Cutis. These probably separate from the mass of Blood an excrementitious matter, fit for the nourishment of the Hairs, and what is not spent in that, is (I suppose) cast out between the Hairs and the aforementioned thin Membranes, which, upon that account, may be properly cal­led Lymphaeducts; and so likewise may the smal­ler sort, (of which more anon) and each of them a proper Vas excretorium to a Glandula Miliaris.

The Hairs which came out of the Skin, and which were in the Cuticula, were from the end of the root to the Cuticula in length between ¼ and ½ of an Inch.

Cutis. The outward superficies of the Cutis, freed from the Cuticula, was very uneven, by reason of a vast number of Pyramidal papillae, about the bigness of small Pins heads: To fit each of these there were cavities in the Cuticula. These papillae were probably pores, being to the sight like those that a sudden Cold produces in our Skins, and which unquestionably are such.

Now if it be granted, that in Brutes there is an insensible Perspiration (which all rational men [Page 10] that sees them sweat will allow, forasmuch as what is by that cast off, is not so gross a Body as Sweat,) and if their insensible discharge be grant­ed proportionable to that of a man; it will follow, that the Elephant being a Creature of extraordina­ry bulk, must have very many pores, and very large ones too, such as may be discerned by the naked Eye, when we find them to be so even in Men, in the Palms especially of the Hands, and in them all other Vessels are proportionably less than they were in the Elephant. I say, that the pores must be both numerous and large, for the use aforesaid, especial­ly if we may confide in Sanctorius his Statical Obser­vations of a mans insensibly perspiring in a Winters day 50 Ounces, and upwards, which is somwhat more than a 54th part of an ordinary mans weight, which I take to be about 170 l. (and upon such meaning himself, I suppose him to have made his Experiments,) and allow the Elephant to perspire proportionably, we will find that his daily insen­sible evacuation will amount to very near 93 l. if we may believe some that has seen the Elephant put on Shipboard, and taken off, that said he weigh­ed 2½ Tuns or 5000 l. of which 93 l. is about a 54th part. Though I am not forward to believe, what I have at several times been told, as to his weight, nor assured that his Transpiration was pro­portionable [Page 11] to that of a man, because of the out­ward scab, which might bar it; yet that he did much transpire I believe, from the vivacity of his species, and have together with many Arguments for per­spiration in general, one in particular to alledge for the great necessity of it in this Animal, and that is this, his blood and flesh did extraordinarily a­bound with an urinous Salt, which made the mass of humours extraordinary active, and consequently capable of making their way through the smallest passages, the pungency of the Salt not a little irrita­ting the pores to an excretion. I suppose moreover that this Salt ought to be necessarily and continually cast off with serosities, to prevent diseases conse­quent to too great a quantity of Volatile Salt in the Body. Why the exorbitancy of this sort of Salt, as well as that of a fixed Marine Salt in Scorbutick Persons, should not cause many distempers, (though few of such may be known to the Inhabitants of our cold Climates,) I cannot guess; but that he did so abound in an Urinous Salt, did appear not only from the urinous effluvia which so affected my Nostrils that I was scarce able to endure them; but also from the smarting which his blood occasioned, (contrary to what I ever observ'd in that of other Creatures) lighting on a cutt which I accidentally at that time receiv'd in one of my Fingers. The difference be­tween [Page 12] the pungency of the Salt in this Blood, and that in stale Urine was such, that the latter usually in a little time ceases to stimulate a tender part kept steept in it, whereas the former did make my Finger all that night, and the next day whilst embrued in it continually smart. But more especially it appear­ed from the tast of his Flesh when dressed on the Coals, before a fire, or fri'd, (boiling in Water took it clear away) which was, as near as I can guess, like that of lean Beef season'd with Salt of Hartshorn.

It is not only probable therefore that the Ele­phant did insensibly perspire much, but also that those Pyramidal Papillae were the passages through which he did transpire, nothing except them and the places of the Hairs appearing any way like pores.

Cutis sub­stantia.When the Cutis was cut through, as far common­ly as the roots of the Hairs reach'd, it was like the cal­lous or horny part of Brawn; but the inner part was very glandulous with a little fat interspers'd.

Crassities cutis.The Cutis before it dried was in some places 1¼ Inch thick, and in other places not above an Inch, and in others somwhat less.

I could find no cutaneous Vessel of any remark­able bigness, and but very few small ones.

Pannicu­lus carno­sus defuit. I made search for the Panniculus carnosus, but found none. I was the more diligent in my search for it, because that I understood it was usual with [Page 13] the Elephant to kill the Flies which lighted on the cracks in his Skin, and tormented him; and this he did by bringing the sides of the cracks close toge­ther of a sudden, which I thought to be performed by that cutaneous Muscle, meaning the aforesaid Panniculus carnosus, but nothing like it appearing, I concluded that what I supposed ought to have been done by that Muscle, was in this Animal done by putting himself suddenly in a posture to wrinkle the skin of that side that was attack'd by the Flies, and this to be done by bending his body that way, by which means what was before streight for him, being now too full, the sides of the cracks were forced close together, & thus the Flies were bruis'd.

Defuit & Membra­na adipo­sa. There was no Membrana adiposa to be seen about him, neither was there inwardly or outwardly, ex­cept a little in the Perineum, any appearance of fat; but instead of the two last mentioned integuments, there was a very strong nervous Membrane, ob­liquely descending from the Spinae dorsi to the Ster­num, and the linea alba. Membra­na nervo­sa. This Membrane was very tough, and very near as hard to be cut as Whale­bone of the same thickness; which all along the back-bone was about ⅙ of an Inch; but the nearer the end I tried it the thinner I found it. This Mem­brane seem'd to terminate in the linea alba, as the tendons of the Muscles of the abdomen usually do.

[Page 14]The nervous Fibres of which this Membrane was made, were very distinguishable, and might easily be separated for their whole length. I have nothing to say as to its Origin, unless it proceeded from the dura Mater. This doubtless was design'd to streng­then this Creature, and perhaps that the weight of the Viscera contain'd in the Abdomen, should not di­stend the Peritoneum, and the Muscles adjoining, so as to let them hang lower than was convenient.

The Tax­wax.The Ligament, commonly call'd Taxwax, reach'd from the Head, to which it grew, to about the 13th vertebra of the dorsum; it was double, one on each side of the Spinae vertebrarum colli & dorsi; it was both very thick, and very broad, and consequently very strong; its use doubtless was to assist the Muscles and other parts of the Neck, to bear the extraordi­nary weight of the Head, being placed not flat, but edgewise, like Planks used as Joices to bear up Floors. And this piece of Architecture is found in most, if not all Quadruped's, for the very same purpose; but being needless, it's wanting in men.

I made no other Remark on the Muscles, but that they were very large, and consisted of Fibres much thicker than those of Beef.

Musculi duo Re­tractores Penis.In searching for the Testes, I found Muscles so like them, that I doubted not but that they were the ve­ry Testes; their shape did most exactly resemble [Page 15] them: and their tendons, before the Testes are ta­ken out of the Processus of the Peritoneum, might pass for the seminary Vessels; nothing by Candle-light, but an examination of them by dissection, could have undeceived me. I was very desirous to see the Anatomy of one of them, and did what I could to inform my self that way, by which means I discovered my Errour, and having found two Muscles unlike any that ever I saw, I trac'd them to the inner and lower side of the Os Ischion; where I found them implanted; I traced the tendons like­wise, and found that when they had gone singly near upon 4 Inches, that they joined in one, which went directly under the middle of the Penis, and reach'd beyond a crookedness that I observed in it: this was in length about 8 Inches, it was then with­in 6 or 7 Inches of the Glans terminated: having ex­panded itself into a Membrane.

There was, besides these, a nervous Body that began underneath, near the aforesaid tendons, about 8 Inches from the root of the Penis, and reached (distinct from the Yard) 9 Inches, before it was in­serted again in it, at a place 5½ Inches from the Glans.

Eorū usus. When I considered that the Actions of all Muscles were, by a Swelling and a Contraction of their Fibres, I was of opinion on the account of those Muscles, and of that nervous Body so conve­niently [Page 16] plac'd for that purpose, that the Elephant was a Retromingent, and very probably a Retro­coient Animal. The crookedness and bending downwards, which I observed in the Penis, som­what short of the end of the Tendon confirm'd me in that Opinion, & lastly the confession of those that were his constant Attendants, put the business out of doubt; for they said, that whensoever the Elephant would make water, they observ'd him unsheath his Penis, and turn it backwards, and so piss between his hind Legs outwards. Here nature manifested her care in making a peculiar provision for this un­weildy Animal to prevent his wallowing in his own Excrements.

After this, and a long search, I found the Testes which were not contain'd in a Scrotum or Capsula, but lay in the Perineum, close joined on each side to the Penis; they were neither of the usual shape, bigness, nor included in a processus of y ^e Peritoneum. Their shape was very like that of a Chesnut; they were thicker on the side that grew to the Penis than on the opposite. They were flat & round. They were not sutable to the other parts of his Body; for if I had the curiosity to weigh them, I believe that both should be found to weigh but little more than 3, or at most 4 ounces. They were join'd to the Penis by a great many, at least 100 seminal Tubes, which may be properly [Page 17] call'd Vasa deferentia, & which deposited the elaborated Semen in several Rhomboid Cells, plac'd in the body of the Penis, which in this Creature was the common and only repository for the seed that I could find. These Cells were turgid with Sperm, and so were the Tubes; the latter were larger than any that ever I saw, in the Testes of other Animals; most of them without any force receiving a Block Tin Wire of equal thickness with the biggest of the ordinary Pins; and this they re­ceived for an Inch, and sometimes more, when the Tu­be was streight, as most of them were; but when I fol­lowed them further into the Body of the Testis, they be­came sensibly smaller & smaller till they disappear'd.

I search'd for that which Dr. Highmor calls a Ductus, and De Graafe more truly makes the Stabilimentum to the Vessels in the Testes both Blood and Seminary; but could not clearly see it. The blood Vessels came into the Testes by the Vasa deferentia.

Though these were small and disproportionable, yet I took them to be the Testes, nothing else outward­ly appearing that contain'd Seminary Vessels, till I un­derstood by the curious Anatomist and learned Physici­an Dr. Needham, that my description of the Testicles of the Elephant did agree to the Prostatae of a Boar; upon which I concluded that I mistook the Testes for the Pro­statae, there being a great resemblance between these Animals, and having found Two Substances (of which more anon) between the Kidneys and the neck of the [Page 18] Bladder, which might very well be Testes, and which, till I discours'd that ingenious Gentleman I did not well know what to make of.

I shall, when I come to the inward parts, say som­thing of the vasa praeparantia.

The vagina for the Penis was, at the opening, horny, and was shut up so close, that there was not room for a mans little finger to get in. We could not, without dividing it, come at the Yard.

[...]nis.The Penis look'd more inconsiderable by being so closely shut up, than it did when freed from the Sheath; it was larger than that of a Stone-Horse, but hardly so long.

[...]rethra.The Urethra was large, for it admitted a round stick, near as thick as a mans Finger, which was thrust into it to streighten it.

[...]ritone­ [...]m.The Peritoneum was a very tough, thick, white Membrane, much wrinkled, that might be divided into many, though not distinct, Membranes.

[...]mentū.The Omentum was nothing but a very thin and double Membrane, together with a net of small blood-vessels, accompanied with small threads of Fat; its insertions were as usually they are in other Animals.

[...]entricu­ [...]lus.The Ventricle was in length 4 foot, and about 3 inches, it was round about 3½ Foot. The Aesophagus was not inserted in the extremity of it, as in Men, Dogs, and many other Animals, but a Foot from that, towards the middle of it, in which (if I mistake not) it agrees [Page 19] with the Stomach of a Horse. There was but one, contrary to what some did imagine, if we do not rec­kon the Coecum and the Colon for two. I found several peble stones in it, whereof some were large, which if weighed, would be found to be between 3 and 4 ounces. By their colour and shapes I should guess them to be taken, not long before, from some Sea shore. They were swallowed, I suppose, to cleanse the Stomach & Guts. I did not find any thing else remarkable in the Stomach, its shape, Coats and Fibres agreeing in other things, with that of Men, Dogs, &c.

Intest [...] The Intestina tenuia were burnt in many places, tenui [...] but not quite through any where, excepting two or three.

Ileum Jejunu [...] The Ileum and Jejunum were not extraordinary big, but were in length about 52 Foot.

Duode [...] The length of that which is commonly call'd the Duodenum, was about 4½ Foot.

Coecum The Coecum was very large and distended with hard dung; its Coats were thicker, and its Fibres were stronger than those of the Stomack. The thickness of the Fibres vvas very discernable vvhere a part of this Gut vvas burnt. The length of this Gut vvas about 20 inches, but its measure round about vvas about 2½ foot.

Colon. The Colon vvas monstrously big, for it vvas in some places upvvards of 3½ Foot round, and in others it vvanted somvvhat of 3 Foot; its length vvas to an in­considerable matter, 15 Foot, though I searched dili­genly for the Valvula coli, I could perceive nothing of it.

[Page 20] [...]ctum.The Rectum (by which I mean the remainder of the Intestina crassa, (though a part of them could not be properly so called) because of the equality for the most part of their Diameters, and disproportion to the Colon, and of my want of a name for a new Gut.) was about 4 Foot in length; and so the whole length of the Guts was about 75 Foot, or 25 Yards.

[...]brarum [...]ciculusThere was a Fasciculus of streight Fibres, near as thick, and altogether as broad as a mans middle Fin­ger; this (to the best of my remembrance) began at the Coecum and reach'd to the Anus. This was opposite to the Mesentery, and was, I suppose, design'd upon occasion to shorten that side of the Guts, as the Mesen­tery did the opposite; that so the Peristaltick motion of the Guts might be more equal, and consequently, that the Excrements might be the more easily protruded, the passage being more direct; and also that their propulsion might be in less time, because that the journey is thereby shortened.

The Fibres of the Guts, both streight and spiral (for so they seem'd to be, and not truly circular) were very strong and thick.

There were many large Veins in the Guts, and be­tween the inner Tunica (which by the bye was very glan­dulous and thick) and the third, or that next it, there was a curious Plexus retiformis of Blood-vessels.

Mesente­ [...]ium.The Mesentery was very strong, being very thick, it had no fat about it, neither was there any relique of it.

[Page 21] Vena [...] saraica The Mesaraick Veins were very large, many of them equalling, and some exceeding in bigness the Vena cava of a Mastiff Dog. I do not remember to have seen any remarkable Glandule in it.

Hepar. The Liver was very large, and consisted of 2 Lobes only, each long, round, and a little flattish. The Fissure which made those Lobes reach'd ⅔ of the length of the Liver. I found the Stomach plac'd between these two, one lay upon it, and the other lay between it and the vertebrae of the back, like a bolster: Whether this was the natural place of the Stomach, or put there by the Elephants strugling to get loose to avoid the fire, I will leave to you to determine.

Membr [...] na hepar investie [...] The Membrane that invested the Liver was rais'd from it for a considerable way, as if it ne'er had been join'd to it; though this Membrane seem'd to be whole, and look'd like the Cuticula raised by a blistering Plaister, yet there was no serum contained in it; and where it seemed to be intimately join'd to the Liver, by a gentle pull it came off, without tearing any thing that I could take notice of, as if it had been but very slightly fastened to the Liver, or rather a bag which contain'd it, and exactly fitted it: But for all this I can­not but think that this Membrane, as well as every one, which immediately includes any of the Viscera have be­sides other uses, this one; namely to terminate and shut the capillary vessels; so to prevent a gleeting of serous humours, which would inevitably follow, and [Page 22] which would soon ulcerate as well the adjacent, as the part itself, and we find that Nature does most com­monly obviate such inconveniences; therefore I must wholly impute the clear in some places, and in others that easie separation of the Membrane from the Liver, to the fire.

[...]is.The Bilis was deposited at the end of the first Gut, improperly call'd the Duodenum in this Creature, that is 4½ Foot below the Pilorus, from which place I trac'd the ductus communis to the Liver, to see the vesica fellea, but it was wanting, and in the place of it I found the Porus Biliarius come out of the Liver, [...]rus bili­ [...]us. as the Ductus hepa­ticus usually does. I observ'd likewise (which before I have done in other Creatures) that the Bilis found in that, differed both in colour and consistency from that which I found in the Ductus Hepaticus; for the latter was a clear light yellow, and was congeal'd with all like a Jelly; whereas that of the former was of a dark green; and was somwhat more fluid than the Galls of an Ox. That there is this difference in the Galls of most Animals, is a thing that I believe time will discover, which then will excite discerning men to find out their different uses. I could find nothing peculiarly remark­able in the substance of the Liver by cutting, only that it was manifestly glandulous, as the sagacious Malphigi observed.

[...]ncreas.The Pancreas was very long, and large; for it reacht from about the middle of the Stomach to the Jejunum, [Page 23] which space could not be less than 6½ Foot: it was a Glandula conglomerata as the Pancreas always is, and had its ductus so wide, that it could without force contain my little Finger; it opened into the Gut where the ductus felleus did: Whether both the passages join'd in one before their aperture into the Intestine or no, is a thing that I forgot.

Ejusde [...] ductus. I found a Succus in the ductus, not limpid as usually it appears, but of a very dark green colour, and yet very fluid, seeming to contain no viscid Phlegm. I wanted the curiosity to taste it.

Lien. The Spleen was between 3 and 4 Inches in breadth, and in length 4 Foot, and somwhat more; it was ve­ry glandulous, agreeable to the same Malphigi's Obser­vations in his Book De Viscerum structura. I saw no­thing else in it that deserv'd particular notice to be taken of it.

Gland [...] renales The Renes succenturiati, or Glandulae renales, were pla­ced in this, as in other Animals, but they differed in their length (which was about 3 inches) from that of other Creatures; they were hollow, and contained an ill coloured blackish blood, for which, I suppose, they are called Capsulae atrabiliariae; they were thicker than a Mans Thumb.

Renes. The Kidneys lay, in a hollow exactly fitting them, in the Loins, and could hardly be discerned, though each of them vvas little less than a Childs Liver. Their Figure vvas Oval; they vvere included in a very strong [Page 24] Membrane, vvhich vvas fastened to them in no place, but at the emulgent Vessels. When this was taken off, each of the Kidneys was found to consist of six Lobes. The Cavity usually found in other Kidneys, called the Pelvis, here was wanting.

[...]reter. I found the Ureter divided into 6 parts, one for each Lobe, each of them (as near as I can guess) of equal Diameter with the Ureter itself. These went into their respective Lobes, about an inch before their arterial substance terminated.

There were no Carunculae Papillares, neither could I find any thing that made the manner of separa­ting the Urine, more intelligible than formerly it was.

The Ureter was no wider than that of an Ox; it had nothing peculiarly remarkable, except its disproporti­on to most of the other parts of the Body.

Vesica U­ [...]inaria.The Vesica Urinaria was much of the same size with an Oxes Bladder, but much stronger, having thicker Fibres.

Venae prae­parantes.The Venae praeparantes were large. I divided that which was inserted into the emulgent, lengthwise; and, within a little more than an inch to its insertion, I found many valves, I guess about Eight or Ten, these were of divers shapes, all fitted to hinder the return of the Blood into the variously divided Sperma­tick Vein; which here from Eight or Ten Rivulets became one great Channel.

[Page 25]Within about an inch of this, and some­what more than two of the Kidneys, I found a substance of the shape of a Pear: but near three times as big as the largest Pear ever I saw. I did what I could by different ways of dissection to find out what manner of thing this was, which was altogether strange for ought I knew: but after all can give but a very imperfect account of it; for the Butchers very unluckily did cut it out, and soe its communications with the testes, the penis and other parts could not be discovered.

What I observ'd in it is this, the Spermatick Vessels at first entred but a little way into this substance; but, below the middle on't, I found them more deeply plac'd; and their Branch­es grow small and less numerous to the sight: as if here the Veins began. (By the bye I take the beginning of Veins to be from the extream Parts, as that of the Arteries is from the Heart.) The inward Parts of this Sub­stance look'd of a palish, but somewhat mud­dy red Colour; It was very spungy, not much more compact than the Lungs of young Animals. I doubt not but this Sub­stance was design'd to prepare the Semen. [Page 26] But by what Vessels it was brought to the Penis, or to any repository (It self containing none) I could not discover for the reasons above mentioned. Neither could I find any peculiar Vessel, or Ductus, or any thing that resembled one in that afore­mentioned Substance by which I might be di­rected in my enquiry. It lay lengthways from the Kidneys to the Testes, with the biggest end lowest. I was so intent upon a search for some peculiar Ductus in this Part, that I clear­ly forgot to take notice of the Arteriae Prae­parantes; from what I heard the most accu­rate Anatomist, Dr. Nedham, say of the partes, generationi inservientes, in general, and parti­cularly of those of a Boar; I doubt not but that these two Pears fashion'd now describ'd Substances were Testes; their place, size, fi­gure, together with the want of the vasa de­ferentia, occasion'd by the Butchers unadvi­sed cutting them out, were the causes of my ignorance heretofore in this point.

I had the Penis cut out, with its aprendi­ces, as carefully as I could; and yet I saw no Vesiculae semina­les. vesiculae seminales, nor any other common receptacle for the Semen, except the for­merly mention'd Rhomboide Cells observ'd in [Page 27] the sides of the Penis it self. But after all this I cannot but suspect my own unwariness to be the cause of my not observing them; for as much as I was at first convinc'd; that what I found to be really the prostatae, was the Testes. Their being closly joyn'd to the Penis, and having there a free passage for the Semen, into the Cells before mentioned; took off my Curiosity to find out what is ge­nerally meant by the Vesiculae seminales, ha­ving suspected no such thing.

Diaphrag­ma. The Diaphragma was made of very strong carneous and nervous Fibres.

Thorax. The cavity of the Thorax was fill'd by the Lungs and Heart; Pulmones. for the Lungs contrary to what I ever observed in other Quadrupeds, grew to the Pleura as far on each side at least (I forgot whether they grew likewise to the Sternum or not) as the Cartilages of the Ribs. For thus far I well remember to have separa­ted them, they were so joyned that there was not one place, where you might see a natu­ral separation of them. When I parted the Lungs and the Pleura, I found that they were joyned by Membranes that might be split at pleasure: but I could make no clear di­stinction of them into several Membranes. [Page 28] By their manner of sticking, they resembled the Lungs of Fowl. By this you may guess how big they were; in other things they a­greed with the Lungs of other Animals.

Motus Thoracis. I suppose that this Animal as well as o­thers, inspired by enlarging the Cavity (if I may so call it) of the Thorax; which I sup­pose to be done principally by the motion of the Ribs from acute, to right Angels, as Dr. Mayo well observed. And this I take to be performed by the intercostal, Diaphragm, and Muscles of the abdomen; thus the Cavity of the Thorax, being every way enlarged, readily receives the Air forced in impetuosly by the weight of the Atmosphaere, and I take his expiration to be done by a cessation of the motion of the aforesaid Mus­cles.

Pericar­dium.The Pericardium was a strong Membrane, and contained a good quantity of Serum.

Cor.The Heart was of the usual conical figure, and placed as in other Animals: but it was as large as an ordinary Pompion.

The Vessels belonging to it were propor­tionable. Arteria Aorta. For the Ateria Aorta (of which I keep a piece though much shrunk) is round eight inches: and the Vena Cava was as much [Page 29] larger then the Arteria; as it is usually in other Creatures.

Vena Iliaca. By the bigness of the Vena Iliaca, you may perhaps guess better at the Cava; The for­mer when slit, did receive and almost cover my four fingers put into it edgewise.

Cordis au­riculae & valvulae. The Auricles and Ventricles were of a size that was suitable to the bigness of the Heart. The Valves were so too, and were the same both in number and figure with those in o­ther Animals.

Arteria pulmona­ris. I open'd the Arteria Pulmonaris and cut out the three Valvulae Mitrales; which when I measured, I found to be upwards of six of my inches in length.

There was no passage to be seen in the Sep­tum Medium.

I could not find the bone in the Heart, which Galen says he found in Caesar's Elephant, dissected by his Order at Rome.

The Carotide Arterie of this Animal was very large; for it readily receiv'd a large cane into it.

Aesophagus The Aesophagus after the usual manner was outwardly Muscular, and inwardly Mem­branous, The Muscular Fibres were much thicker than ordinary; for their thickness up­on [Page 30] the Membrane was about ⅓ of an Inch. Maxilla Inferior.

The lower Jaw of this Beast, did resemble that of a Hog, the most of any thing.

Lingua.His Tongue was somewhat bigger than that of an Ox, and plac'd after the usual manner. But this it had peculiar in it, that the passage to the Ventricle was through it; for there was a hole near the Root of it, and exactly in the middle of that part. Which hole was the beginning of the Aesophagus; there was no communication between this and the passage into the Lungs, contrary to what we may observe in Men, in all Qua­drupeds and Fowl that ever I had an opper­tunity to dissect. For the Membrana Pituita­ria Anterior, reach'd to the very Root of the Tongue below the Aesophagus; and so quite stop'd the passage of the Air into the Mouth. From whence we may conclude, that he could not utter any voice by the mouth, and but little by the trunk or nose.

[...]embra [...]tuitaria [...]terior.The former Membrana Pituitaria had ma­ny passages for the Saliva usually separated there. There was between the end of the Proboscis and the Larinx a Membrana Pituitaria posterior, which had very many of the same sort of ductus.

[Page 31]The Proboscis was only a nose prolong'd, The Pro­boscis. where it was separated from the Forehead, the substance of it look'd exactly like that of a Neats-tongue slit: the flesh of it being cu­riously interlarded. Where the fire had en­ter'd upon it, I could distinctly perceive three Orders of Fibres; one obliquely and spirally descending; another spirally but croswise de­scending; the third were streight Fibres. Several of the notions of his Proboscis might be perform'd by the aforementioned three distinct Series's of Muscular Fibres. Proboscidis motus varii. As its contraction, motion up, or down, to the right or to the left: But by what means he was able at pleasure, to shoot it out from a foot upon any suddain occasion to five foot long; and that with extraordinary force, I cannot clearly perceive. This sort of motion seems to require a particular Theory, being very different from the other motions in the Body of this, and of other Animals; for to me all Muscular motion seems to be by a con­traction of Fibres, even when the extention of a Part is design'd. In which case the Bones of the Parts are drawn, and kept directly one before another, by the contraction of some of the Muscles.

[Page 32]Now we do not find any part without a Bone, (except this) that is Spontaneously protruded or prolong'd, and so kept for some time. Some may Imagine that the Tongue is mov'd after this manner; but 'tis certain, that the Musculus geneoglossus by the help of the Myloglossus draws the root of the Tongue, and consequently the Os Hyoides forward, that is, to the fore part of the Maxilla inferior where they are inserted, and that so it is that the Tongue is protended.

The onely way that I can guess this moti­on to be perform'd is by circular Fibres; seeing that there was no Bone towards the end of it, beyond the upper Jaw, which might be a Sta­bilimentum to Muscles that might pull it for­wards; as the Geneoglossus does the Tongue, by drawing the Basis of it towards the middle of the Muxilla inferior. From the swelling of these Circular Fibres (which I suppose to be in the Trunk) we may expect the lengthen­ing of it, for as much, as each of them (be­ing kept from starting outwards by the a­foresaid three orders of Fibres and the Skin) must require much more room than they took up before they were swollen. This con­traction of annular Fibres must likewise [Page 33] make the Proboscis smaller, as, upon its shooting out, it was observ'd always to be.

Now whether de facto there were this kind of Fibres in it or not, I cannot tell, being hindered by the manager to search for them, least I should make it unfit for preservation; the Nostrils for the little way that I saw them, were Cartilaginous.

At the end of the Proboscis there was, of the same substance with it, a little thing that pointed out like a peak; by which the Ele­phant was observ'd to take up very minute Bodies. I can say nothing of the structure of this part.

Doubtless the Elephants care to preserve the Proboscis was great, for when we disjoint­ed him, we found it thrust near Two Foot in­to a very hard ground; upon which account we thought that it had been Burnt, till the Head was divided from the Body, and that we found it kept fast to the ground by the Proboscis.

Aspera Arteria. The Aspera Arteria was large, and destitute of an Epiglottis; there being no danger of any things falling into the Lungs, from Eat­ing or Drinking, seeing that there was no [Page 34] communication between the Aesophagus and it.

The Cartilagines Aritaenoides made a glot­tis, in length about Three Inches and a Quarter, and in breadth about One and a Half towards the middle; this Aperture was somewhat Oval.

To the outside of these Cartilages I found another grow, which was fasten'd to them, but so, as to be capable of motion up and down, by the help of some Muscles which were implanted in it. It was strong on both sides of the Aspera Arteria; but op­posite to the Aesophagus, or on the under side, it was very limber. This wanted a­bout Two Inches and a Half of coming round the aforesaid Cartilages, on the upper side, or that next to the Aesophagus. This seem'd to me to supply in some measure the want of an Epiglottis; in lessening the Glottis to prevent the creeping in of Animals into the Thorax.

Larinx. The Muscles of the larinx were very strong. I suppose, that from the structure of this part, we may guess at the reason, why the Elephant is afraid of a Mouse, for the Mouse having room to creep up his Pro­boscis, [Page 35] might get into his Lungs, and so stifle him; there being no Epiglottis to hinder its passage, and the aforesaid Cartilage being hardly sufficient to shut the way against it; to avoid this danger, this Creature was ob­serv'd always, when he slept, to keep his Pro­boscis so close to the ground, that nothing but Air might get in between them. Aspera Arteria. The Wind-pipe of this in other things, was like that of other Animals.

Oculi. The Eyes were not so remarkable for any thing, as for their disproportion to the rest of the Body, having but little exceeded a Sheeps Eyes.

Aures. The Ears were very large, and indented round; they were always observ'd to hang, except at such times as the Elephant was vex'd, and then they were gather'd like a Purse, and stood forward; at which time he always con­tracted his Proboscis, and so made ready to shoot it out, and to punch either Man or Beast that anger'd him, and came within his reach.

Planae pedum. The Soles of his Feet were plain, and co­ver'd, not with an Horny substance, or Hoof like other Quadrupeds, but with a Skin (like a Camel, as I am inform'd,) not half [Page 36] as thick as that of his Body, but somewhat harder; it might easily be cut with a Knife in any part. By this means these Animals are secur'd from being founder'd in their Travels, in the much heated Sands of their native Countries; which they could not avoid if they were hoof'd; round the outside of this by the ground, there were five little knobs, answering his five Toes; within this skin there was a great quantity of a greasie substance, contain'd in tough Membranes, in little Cells; this was design'd to defend the Toes from wearing.

The Tusks had Cores in them somewhat like Marrow, but were more compact, and seem'd to have some mixture of Glanduls in them.

Dura & pia mater.When I Saw'd the Skull I found a very strong dura mater; and a pia mater that might without being torn, be separated in ma­ny places, from the substance of the Brain; Cerebrum. the Brains were much discolour'd, and very tender withal, and therefore could not be ta­ken out entire; and so they were very unfit for Observations.

Ejus pars corticalis.The Pars Corticalis of the Cerebrum seem'd to be whiter than ordinary; and the Gyri more regular than in Men.

[Page 37]The Cerebellum was like that of a Man, Cerebellum only that it was bigger; both it and the Ce­rebrum vveig'd Ten Pounds.

If I forget not, I saw the Ten Pair of Nerves, as Doctor Willis describes them; and can say nothing in particular of them, but that they were very large.

I preserv'd a peice of one of the Nerves of the Os Sacrum, which was flattish, and but little smaller than a Bulls Pizle. Although I cannot certainly tell, whether that part of the Nerve which I prescrib'd, was taken from the Femur, where the coalition of Four or Five Nerves, proceeding from the Os Sacrum, is usually found, or not; and consequently cannot so probably guess at the size of the other Nerves, as otherwise I might; yet this may shew, that the Nerves were propor­tionable to the other parts of this Ani­mal.

The Skeleton is better express'd by a Plate well Engrav'd, then by any description what­soever, and therefore, if you design to make this Publick, I desire you would imploy one to take the Icon of it; you may find it with Mr. Dockwra Merchant in Lime-street, London. I shall not trouble you or my self with a tedi­ous [Page 38] description of every Bone; but shall in short give you the few Notes I thought con­venient to take, before a Copper Plate of the Elephant might be had, which may a little inform you, in case this be not thought worth Publishing.

Cranium.The outward Table of the Cranium was very thin, and fragile; between this and the inner, which was not altogether so britle, there was nothing but a great number of Cells, (which if I forget not) were for the most part Triangular; these were lin'd with thin Membranes, in which were many Blood Vessels curiously branch'd; these Cells were made of thin Plates of Bone.

The greatest distance between the outward and inner Table, was Seven Inches, and the least, Four; the intermedial were the most common; this I would have understood of that part of the Skull which I Saw'd for the taking of the Brains. In this place the Head was from outside to outside, Twenty Inches and Three Quarters.

The whole Cranium was so britle and thin, that without a plate of Iron nail'd in the Roof of the Mouth, in which the Iron rod that ran through the Vertebrae of the Dorsum [Page 39] and the Neck was fasten'd, we could not joyn the Head to the Body without a manifest dan­ger of its being torn to pieces by its own weight. If the space between the Tables had been as solid in the Skull of the Elephant as it is in those of other Animals, the weight of the Head would be too great, for even the Elephant himself to bear. And this may in some measure appear from the weight of the Maxilla inferior, which was but small in respect of the other Bones of the Head. This I am told weigh'd sixty pound, or near upon it. I suppose therefore, that the aforesaid Cells were form'd to obviate that great in­conveniency, that is, the Heads being too hea­vy for the Body.

Dentes. The length of each of the Tuskes was (as I have been inform'd) three foot and a half. When I search'd for them I found one of them burnt to within less than a foot of the upper Jaw, in which they both grew. The other was broken off somewhat longer; they were bent towards one another, and crost'd each other near their extremities. The Ele­phant was observed to feed himself with his Promuscis, sometimes thrust through the space made by the arch'd Teeth: at other [Page 40] times by prolonging of it beyond their place of crossing, and then turning of it inwards: and at several times by winding of it about the outside of each of the Tusks to his mouth. Both these reach'd on the upper Jaw, as far as the Sockets for the Eyes; from which they vvere divided onely by thin shells of Bone. These help'd to keep the formerly mention'd Cores vvithin the Teeth.

There vvas, besides the Tusks only four Teeth in each javv, tvvo in every side.

The length of each of the inner Teeth of the lower Jaw, was about Six Inches and a Half; but the outward of the same Jaw, was only One and Three Quarters long.

The length of the hinder Tooth in the right upper Jaw, was Four Inches; but that of the opposite, vvas but Three Inches; the Tvvo outvvard Teeth of the upper Javv, vvere somevvhat longer then those of the un­der; the greatest breadth of the Teeth, vvas Tvvo Inches and Three Quarters; and the least, about an Inch; the breadth of the Teeth of both Javvs vvas equal; the height of the Teeth above the Gums, vvas about an Inch and ¾; these Eight Teeth vvere Molares and so he had no Incisores.

[Page 41]The length of the Maxilla inferior was 21 Inches and ¾, and the bredth, that is, Maxilla inferior. from the outside of one of the processus condylodes to the outside of the other, was 16 Inches and a half.

Vertebrae colli dorsi. The Vertebrae of the Collum were 7. those of the Dorsum were 20. To each of the latter there was a pair of Ribs, Lumbo­rum ossis Sa [...]i. the Vertebra Lumbo­rum were only 3. those of the Os Sacrum (which are more properly divisions than Vertebrae) were six, a good part of the Tail was burnt, and I could not therefore find out the num­ber of Joynts in it.

Processus transver­sales & sp nae. The Processus transversales ac spinae, dor­si & colli were distinct Bones from their Verte­brae, and joyn'd to them by sutures.

Ʋlna. The Ʋlna and Radius did cross one ano­ther so, as that the former came from the back part of the Os humeri its proper and u­sual place, and was fasten'd by its other end, to the fore part of the Carpus, and the latter went contrarywise; Radius. this posture of these Bones is unusual, and seems to add strength to that part.

The Back was arch'd like that of a Hog, which Figure contributes the most of any to the strength of it.

I shall give you no further trouble, onely [Page 42] desire you would satisfie the R. S. that I preserv'd most of the parts, that were not much defac'd by the Fire, nor likely to pe­rish suddainly; till I had leasure to examine them carefully. And in the mean time, I did what I could to inform my self in the Anatomy of those parts which were more or less alter'd by the heat, and were most sub­ject to corruption. And to convince them of this Truth, I desire that you assure them, that I have some parts of the Elephant at this time, which I preserv'd then; and that as oft as I thought fit, I had the use of those parts which were preserv'd, and sent away with the Skeleton; and that so it was that I was able to give even this imperfect account of the Structure of that Creature; this favour I desire from you, least any of them that reads the beginning of this Letter, should believe me unfaithful in relating the matter of fact, when upon the perusal of the remainder, they may find more then possibly they expected; their compliance herein, and kind acceptance of this, may encourage me to present you with other things of this nature. Sir,