Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

This skeleton is asserted to belong to that of an animal called a mammoth. If such an animal ever existed as a distinct genus, and only found in the northern latitudes, we may safely conclude the climates of these countries to be the same at this moment that they were at the end of the general deluge, consequently they could not find sustenance sufficient for their size. Some great revolution might have brought their bones, etc. to these regions but may not the mammoth be an amphibious animal? In the sacred writings mention is made of an animal, which partly partakes of the character of the elephant, and that of an amphibious animal. Job, chap xl., verse 15. "Behold now behemoth which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox." Verse 23. "Behold he drinketh up a river, and

hasteth not "—

Many teeth and bones of animals have been found in a fossil state, both in Siberia, and on the banks of the Ohio, in North America, also in Peru and the Brazils. Those discovered in America belong to the great mastadon described by professor Cuvier. Those found in Siberia have been called by the Russians mammoth's teeth, or mammout bones, and mammon's horns, which they supposed to have belonged to an animal, which they describe as being of a monstrous size, and living in caverns

under the ground. To whatever class of animals these bones belonged, they are certainly at present unknown. The French academicians, on comparing some of these with the bones of the real elephants, concluded that they belonged to the same species of animal. Mr. Pennant also assents to the opinion of those who think they once belonged to the elephant. "It is," says this elegant writer, "more than probable that this animal yet exists in some of those remote parts of the vast new continent unpenetrated yet by Europeans. Providence maintains and continues every created species, and we have as much assurance, that no race of animals will any more cease, while the earth remaineth, than seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night. However the mere anatomical structure of the animal is sufficient to mark its difference from the elephant. Dr. Hunter discovered on a more accurate examination, that they are very different from those of the elephant, and belong to another animal. The tusks of the true elephant have a slight lateral bend, but these have a large twist or spiral curve. Those teeth which have also been found in North America, evidently belong to a carnivorous animal, whereas those of the elephant are flat and belong to graminivorous animals. In the present specimen there were no

perfect teeth. The thigh bone is also of a very disproportionate size to that of the elephant, besides some other anatomical variations.*

[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

From the mouth to the root of the tail . . . 21

Length of the tusks

From the top of the shoulder to the hoof
Width of the thorax

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

*Phil. Trans. vol. lviii. art. 5.

Spine including the joints of the tail, composed of forty-three vertebræ,-ribs not perfect.

M. Cuvier, in his admirable osteological descriptions of several of the larger species of quadrupeds, mentions that two species of elephants are at present known as inhabitants of the earth. The one, which is confined to Africa, is, named the African elephant; the other, which is a native of Asia, is named the Asiatic elephant. Only one fossil species has hitherto been discovered. It is the mammoth of the Russians. The following discovery is given by professor Cuvier, from a report in the supplement to the Journal du Nord, No. XXX, by M. Adams.

"In the year 1799, a Tungusian fisherman observed a strange shapeless mass, projecting from an ice bank, near the mouth of a river, in the north of Siberia, the nature of which he did not understand, and which was so high in the bank as to be beyond his reach. He next year observed the same object, which was then rather more disengaged from among the ice, but was still unable to conceive what it was. Towards the end of the following summer, 1801, he could distinctly see that it was the frozen carcase of an enormous animal, the entire flank of which and one of its tusks had become disengaged from the ice. In consequence of the ice beginning to melt earlier and to a greater degree

than usual in 1803, the fifth year of this discovery, the enormous carcase became entirely disengaged, and fell down from the ice-crag on a sand bank, forming part of the coast of the Arctic ocean. In the month of March of that year, the Tungusian carried away the two tusks, which he sold for the value of fifty rubles.-Two years afterwards, or im 1806, M. Adams went to examine this animal, which still remained on the sand bank where it had fallen from the ice, but its body was then greatly mutilated. The Jukuts of the neighbourhood had taken away considerable quantities of its flesh to feed their dogs; and the wild animals, particularly the white bears, had also feasted on the carcase; yet the skeleton remained quite entire, except that one of the forelegs was gone. The entire spine, the pelvis, one shoulder-blade, and three legs, were still held together by their ligaments, and by some remains of the skin; and the other shoulder-blade was found at a short distance. The head remained, covered by the dried skin, and the pupil of the eyes was still distinguishable. The brain also remained within the skull, but a good deal shrunk and dried up; and one of the ears was in excellent preservation, still retaining a tuft of strong bristly hair. The upper lip was a good deal eaten away, and the under lip was entirely gone, so that the teeth were distinctly seen. The animal was a male, and had a

« НазадПродовжити »