50 ANIMAL MECHANICS 



so connected with one another, that from one 

 single bone or fragment of bone, be it of the jaw, 

 or of the spine, or of the extremity, a really accu- 

 rate conception of the shape, motions, and habits 

 of the animal may be formed. 



It will readily be understood, that the same pro- 

 cess of reasoning will ascertain, from a small por- 

 tion of a skeleton, the existence of a carnivorous 

 animal, or of a fowl, or of a bat, or of a lizard, or 

 of a fish ; and what a conviction is here brought 

 home to us, of the extent of that plan which 

 adapts the members of every creature to its proper 

 office, and yet exhibits a system extending through 

 the whole range of animated beings, whose mo- 

 tions are conducted by the operation of muscles 

 and bones. 



After all, this is but a part of the wonders 

 disclosed through the knowledge of a thing so 

 despised as a fragment of bone. It carries us 

 into another science ; since the knowledge of 

 the skeleton not only teaches us the classification 

 of creatures now alive, but affords proofs of the 

 former existence of animated beings which are 

 not now to be found on the surface of the earth. 

 We are thus led to an unexpected conclusion 

 from such premises : not merely the existence of 

 an individual animal, or race of animals ; but 

 even the changes which the globe itself has un- 

 dergone in times before all existing records, and 



