mitive ranges, their cloud-capt summits and majestic forms, are calculated to rivet the attention; but they rather force the fancy to speculate upon their formation than lead the judgment by internal evidences to their origin. It is in the curious observations above recited that we seem to approach the history of our own state. The study of secondary formations is as yet scarcely commenced. The labors of Cuvier have thrown a new light upon their high importance; already by his exertions has the history of the most recent changes been ascertained, in one particular spot, as far as the chalk formation. This, which has hitherto been conceived to be of very modern origin, is shown to have owed its deposition to causes connected with the revolution and catastrophe before the last general irruption of the waters over our present habitable world. Our author well observes that these posterior geological facts, which have hitherto been neglected by geologists, furnish the only clue by which we may hope, in some measure, to dispel the darkness of the preceding times. It would certainly be exceedingly satisfactory to have the fossil organic productions arranged in chronological order, in the same manner as we now have the principal mineral substances. By this the science of organization itself would be improved; the development of animal life; the succession of its forms; the precise determinations of those which have been first called into existence, the simultaneous production of certain species and their gradual extinction;-all these would perhaps instruct us fully as much in the essence of organisation as all the experiments that we shall ever be able to make upon living animals: and man, to whom only a short space of time is allotted upon the earth, would have the glory of restoring the history of thousands of ages which preceded the existence of the race, and of thousands of animals which never were contemporaneous with his species.' In the present state of science respecting them we cannot, we conceive, assist the geological student better than by presenting to him an ample classification of existing organic remains. We depend in the first instance largely on the abstract of Cuvier's researches furnished in the notes of Mr. Jameson to M. Kerr's translation of the Essay on the Earth. CLASS I.-MAMMALIA. Cavia. The slaty limestone of Oeningen, Mus, mouse.-In the slaty limestone rocks at Walsch, in the circle of Saatz, Bohemia, there are fossil remains of a species of this tribe nearly allied to the mus terrestris; smaller remains eccur in alluvial strata at Kostritz, in Germany, and in the limestone of Corsica. Lagomys.-Occurs in fissures of the third se condary limestone in the rock of Gibraltar and Corsica. It nearly resembles the I. alpinus of Siberia. Lepus, hare.-Two species occur in fissures of the limestone rocks of Čette; one of them bears a strong resemblance to the common rabbit, the other is one-third less. Family. Fera Ursus, bear.—2. U. Spelæus.-The size of a horse, and different from any of the present existing species. 2. U. Arctoideus.-A smaller species, also extinct. Both species are fossil, and remains of them are found in great abundance in limestone caves in Germany and Hungary. The caves vary much in magnitude and form, and are more or less deeply incrusted with calcareous sinter, which assumes a great variety of singular and often beautiful forms. The bones occur nearly in the same state in all these caves: detached, broken, but never rolled; they are somewhat lighter and less compact than recent bones, but slightly decomposed, contain much gelatine, and are never mineralised. They are generally enveloped in an indurated earth, which contains animal matter; sometimes in a kind of alabaster or calcareous sinter, and by means of this mineral are sometimes attached to the walls of the caves. It is worthy of remark that these bones occur in an extent of upwards of 200 leagues. Cuvier thinks that rather more than threefourths of the bones in the caves of Gaylenreuth, Bavaria, belong to species of bears now extinct; one-half, or two-thirds of the remaining fourth belong to a species of hyæna, which oc curs in a fossil state in other situations. A very small number of these remains belong to a species of the genus lion or tiger; and another to animals of the dog or wolf kinds; and, lastly, the smallest portion belongs to different species of smaller carnivorous animals, as the fox and pole-cat. Cuvier is inclined to conjecture that the animals to which they belonged must have lived and died peaceably on the spot where we now find them. This opinion is rendered highly probabie from the nature of the earthy matter in which they are enveloped, and which, according to Laugier, contains an intermixture of animal matter with phosphate of lime, and probably also phosphate of iron. Remains of the fossil bear also occur in limestone caves in England. Canis, hyana, and wolf.-Several species occur in the caves already mentioned; one very closely resembles the Cape hyæna, and is about the size of a small brown bear; another species is allied to the dog or wolf; and a third species is almost identical with the common fox. A fossil species also resembling the common fox has been found in the gypsum quarries near Paris; and in the same formation there are fossil remains of a genus intermediate between canis and viverra. Remains of the wolf were found at Cannstadt in Germany, along with those of the elephant, rhinoceros, hyæna, horse, deer, and hare. In the alluvial deposites there are remains of the hyæna. Blumenbach has described the remains of a fossil hyæna, nearly resembling the canis crocuta, which was found in marl along with the remains of the lion and the elephant, between Osterode and Herzberg in Hanover. Professor Buckland's account of the Kirkdale cave of hyænas will be found in our article GREAT BRITAIN, vol. x. p. 596. Bones of hyænas have been found in similar caves in other parts of Great Britain, viz. at Crawly Rocks near Swansea, in the Mendip Hills at Clifton, at Wirksworth in Derbyshire, and at Oreston, near Plymouth. In some of these there is evidence of the bones having been introduced by beasts of prey; but in that of Hutton Hill, in the Mendips, which contains rolled stones, it is probable they were washed in. Felis, tiger.-One species occurs in the limestone caves of Germany, and appears to be nearly allied to the jaguar; another species, nearly allied to the tiger, is found in alluvial soil along with fossil remains of the elephant, rhinoceros, hyæna, and mastodon. Viverra, weasel.-Two species occur in the German limestone caves; the one is allied to the common pole-cat, and the other to the zorille, a pole-cat belonging to the cape of Good Hope. Another species allied to the ichneumon, but double its size, occurs in the gypsum quarries around Paris. Family.-Bruta. Bradypus, sloth.-Two fossil species have been described, which are nearly allied not only to the two living species, but also to the myrmecophaga, or ant eater. They are the following:1. Megalonix. This remarkable fossil animal appears to have been the size of an ox. Its remains were first discovered in limestone caves in Virginia in the year 1796. 2. Megatherium. -This species is the size of the rhinoceros, and its fossil remains have hitherto been found only in South America. The first, and most complete skeleton, was sent from Buenos Ayres by the marquis Loretto, in the year 1789. It was found in digging an alluvial soil, on the banks of the river Luxan, a league south-east of the village of that name, about three leagues W. S. W. of Buenos Ayres. Plate I. fig. 1, REMAINS, ORGANIC, gives a faithful representation of this remarkable skeleton, which is now preserved in the Royal Cabinet of Madrid. A second skeleton of the same animal was sent to Madrid from Liina, in the year 1795; and a third was found in Paraguay. Thus it appears that the remains of this animal exist in the most distant parts of South America. It is very closely allied to the megalonix, and differs from it principally in size, being much larger. Cuvier is of opinion that the two species, the megalonix and megatherium, may be placed together, as members of the same genus, and should be placed between the sloths and ant-eaters, but nearer to the former than to the latter. It is worthy of remark that the remains of these animals have not been hitherto found in any other quarter of the globe besides America, the only existing country which affords them. Order II.-MARSUPIALIA. Didelphis, opossum.-One species of this extraordinary tribe has been found in a fossil state in the gypsum quarries near Paris. It does not Cervus, deer.-1. Fossil elk of Ireland.-This, the most celebrated of all the fossil ruminating animals, is certainly of a different species from any of those that at present live on the earth's surface, and may therefore be considered as extinct. It was first found in Ireland, where it generally occurs in shell marl and in peat-bogs. It has also been found in superficial alluvial soil in England, Germany, and France. In plate I. fig. 2, we have given a drawing of the head and horns of this animal. It was dug out of a marl pit at Dardisdoun, near Drogheda, in Ireland. Dr. Molyneux, in the Philosophical Transactions, informs us that its dimensions were as follows: We saw a fine specimen of the horns of this animal in the summer of 1828 at Knole, the seat of the duke of Dorset. It is exalted among the trophies of the chase in the hall of his grace, but not claiming we suppose to have been hunted by a duke of Dorset. A splendid and nearly perfect skeleton of this animal has been lately dug out of a marl pit in the Isle of Man, and is now preserved in the Regium Museum of Edinburgh. 2. Fossil deer of Scania.-Found in a peat moss in Scania. It appears from the description of the horns to be an extinct, or at least, an unknown species. 3. Fossil deer of Somme.-The horns, the only parts hitherto discovered, show that this animal, although nearly allied to the fallow-deer, must have been much larger than the fallowdeer. The horns occur in loose sand in the valley of Somme in France, and in Germany. 4. Fossil deer of Etampes.-Allied to the reindeer, but much smaller, not exceeding the roe in size. The bones were found in abundance near Etampes in France, imbedded in sand. 5. Fossil roe of Orleans.-Found in the vicinity of Orleans. It occurs in limestone, along with bones of the palæotherium. It is the only instance known of the remains of a living species having been found along with those of extinct species. But Cuvier enquires, May not the bones belong to a species of roe, of which the distinctive characters lie in parts hitherto undiscovered? 6. Fossil roe of Somme.-Very nearly allied to the roe. Found in the peat of Somme. 7. Fossi red deer or stag.-Resembling the red deer or stag. Its horns are found in peatbogs, or sand pits in Scotland, England, France, Germany, and Italy. 8. Fossil fallow deer.-Found in peat-bogs and marl pits in Scotland and France. Bos, ox.-1. Aurochs.—Cuvier considers this as distinct from the common ox, and it differs from the present varieties in being larger. Skulls and horns of this species have been found in alluvial soil in England, Scotland, France, Germany, and America. 2. Common or.-The skulls of this species also differ from those of the present existing races, in being larger, and the direction of the horns being different. They occur in alluvial soil in many different parts of Europe, and are considered by Cuvier as belonging to the original race of the present domestic ox. 3. Large buffalo of Siberia.-The skull of this animal is of great size, and appears to belong to a species not at present known. It is not the common buffalo, nor can it be identified with the large buffalo of India, named arnee. Cuvier conjectures that it must have lived at the same time with the fossil elephant and rhinoceros, in the frozen regions of Siberia. 4. Fossil ox, resembling the musk or of America-More nearly resembling the American musk ox than any other species, and have hitherto been found only in Siberia. These fossil remains of deer and oxen may be distinguished into two classes, the unknown and the known ruminants. In the first class Cuvier places the Irish eik, the small deer of Etampes, the stag of Scania, and the great buffalo of Siberia; in the second class he places the common stag, the common roe-buck, the fallow deer, the aurochs, the ox which seems to have been the original of the domestic ox, the buffalo with approximated horns, which appears to be analogous to the musk ox of Canada; and there remains a dubious species, the great deer of Somme, which much resembles the common fallow-deer. 'From what has been ascertained in regard to the strata,' says Mr. Jameson, in which these remains have been found, it would appear that the known species are contained in newer beds than the unknown. Further, that the fossil remains of the known species are those of animals of the climate where they are now found: thus the stag, ox, aurochs, roe-deer, fallow deer, now dwell, and have always dwelt, in cold countries; whereas the species which are regarded as unknown appear to be analogous to those of warm countries: thus the great buffalo of Siberia can only be compared with the buffalo of India, the arnee. M. Cuvier concludes that the facts hitherto collected seem to announce, at least as plainly as such imperfect documents can, that the two sorts of fossil ruminants belong to two orders of alluvial deposites, and consequently to two different geological epochas; that the one have been, and are now, daily becoming enveloped in alluvial matter; whereas, the others have been the victims of the same revolution which destroyed the other species of the alluvial strata; such as mammoths, mastodons, and all the multungula, the genera of which now exist only in the torrid zone. Order V.-MULTUNGULA. Rhinoceros antiquitatis.-Only one fossil species has hitherto been discovered, which differs from the five living species, not only in structure, but in geographical distribution. It was first noticed in the time of Grew, in alluvial soil near Canterbury. Sir E. Hone describes, in the Philosophical Transactions for 1817, a nearly perfect head of this species, which was found in a cave in limestone, near Plymouth. Similar remains have been found in many places of Germany, France, and Italy. In Siberia, not only single bones and skulls, but the whole animal, with the flesh and skin, have been discovered. Hippopotamus.-Two fossil species have been ascertained by Cuvier. The one, which is the largest, is so very nearly allied to the species at present living on the surface of the earth, that it is difficult to determine whether or no it is not the same. Its fossil remains have been found in alluvial soil in France and Italy. The second fossil species, and the smallest, not being larger than a hog, is well characterised, and is entirely different from any of the existing species of quadrupeds. Tapir.-The tapir, until lately, was considered as an animal peculiar to the new world, and confined to South America; but the recent discovery of a new species in Sumatra proves that it also occurs in the old world. Two fossil species of this genus have been discovered in Europe. The one is named the small, the other the gigantic tapir, and both have been found in different parts of France, Germany, and Italy. Elephas jubatus, or primigenus, elephant or mammoth. Of this genus two species 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. It differs from |