History of the British Possessions in the Mediterranean; Comprising Gibraltar, Malta, Gozo, and the Ionian Islands (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1837 Excerpt: ...indented at the edge, and part entirely smooth; the largest are seven inches long, of a flat triangular form, with a bifurcated or two-fanged root. There are others only one inch in length, pointed almost conical, with roots also bifurcated, and shaped like birds' and serpents' tongues. Most of these teeth have preserved their grey and shining enamel in such a manner, that the filtration could not penetrate through them; they are therefore not petrified in the inside, and have not lost their bony texture. Those roots which have not been guarded from the filtration are become stony. Odontopetra are common in Malta, and particularly in Gozo, where they are found enclosed and scattered about in the soft stone of these islands. I have never heard whether a jaw-bone was ever discovered with this kind of teeth. 7. Crapaudina bufonitce, or serpents' eyes. These are likewise odontopetra or fish teeth of a hemispherical, conical, or oval form. They belonged to the gilt-head and other fish of the same kind; they are whitish, grey, yellow, black, or with concentric circles of different colours. These teeth are of different sizes, from one line to four in diameter; they are concave within, and are in a half state of petrifaction. There are great numbers in Malta, but those only with concentric zones are in any estimation, and the large ones of that kind are very scarce. 8. Odontopetra, which belonged to the hippopotamus or river-horse. These were the grinders of those animals, and are almost all square, with obtuse conical eminences; there are some eight inches on the surface, but they are seldom found entire. The part which has no enamel is petrified. This kind of odontopetra is far from common. 9. Asteria, entrochitee, and other detached parts of the vertebra of the ...