[147]

= Feb. 1842 = (11) 11

Owen in his paper on Mast. Gigant. describes beautiful series of teeth elephant, Elephantoid-Mast, Mast, Dinotherium (?) tapir -  Now this series has nothing probably direct in showing the transitional forms through which the teeth of Elephant has passed - without these are descendants from different stages in the linear progenitors of the Elephant = this is an extensive puzzle I cannot explain = If we take the extreme teeth, we could not believe they had descended from a common form; but with these intermediate teeth, we can see, or guess, which were th early intermediate forms = (5) - as for a really perfect series by insensible steps from the elephant to the Tapir it is absurd; no doubt, also, each has some pecularities distinct =

[in margin:] Gradation in characters

[147v]

Preserve the other side Ch 7 p. 38 give Reference

ask Owen where this is said

Owen remarks that in two genera of Mammal with differently-formed teeth he utterly disbelieves that the jaw on any one instance correspond - good remark to bear in mind - when a part has changed the whole has always in some, perhaps much lesser degree changed.

[Richard Owen. 1842. Report on the Missourium now exhibiting at the Egyptian Hall, with an inquiry into the claims of the Tetracaulodon to generic distinction. Proceedings of the Geological Society 3: 689-695.]