368 On some Quadrupeds supposed to be extinct. 



with wood, and as the games were exhibited for about six 

 centuries, those structures would require to be often renewed, 

 and the old bones would thus be covered over with earth. 

 Britain was invaded or visited by about twenty emperors, or 

 those so high in importance as to become emperors of Rome ; 

 and York was the head-quarters of the Roman empire during 

 the residence in Britain of Severus and his two sons and co- 

 emperors, Geta and Caracalla *. All the collections of fossil 

 bones are found at the head-quarters of the Romans, or near 

 the several amphitheatres in the island. Bones of elephants 

 which have been found in France and Italy in fifteen places, 

 are so faithfully accurate to the road over which Hannibal 

 and Asdrubal with fifty- two elephants marched f, and Hanni- 

 haVs (thirty -seven) all perished before his arrival at Thrasy- 

 menCf that no theory whatever can stand in competition with 

 such historical conviction J. If the bones found on Hannibal's 

 road be not those of his Getulian elephants, are we to conclude 

 that the remains of the beasts lost two thousand years ago have 

 totally perished ; but that other bones of elephants, many 

 thousands of years older, have been preserved upon the same 

 spot, although some of them are found quite near the surface ? 

 At Plaine de Grenelle, a fossil elephant was dug up, and at 

 that place there stood a Roman amphitheatre §. The great 

 numbers of elephants then used in warfare may be judged of, 

 by Metellus having captured upwards of a hundred in the 

 battle of Palermo, where many besides had been killed || ; and 

 accordingly fossil bones have been found, there and also at 

 Syracuse, where there was an amphitheatre. In Spain, thirty- 

 nine elephants were slain at Munda, in the battle fought be- 

 tween the two Scipios and Asdrubal. At the bridge of Man- 

 zanares, and at Toledo, fossil remains of elephants have been 



♦ The emperors had their families and the whole Roman court with 

 them. The celebrated Juha Domna, and her sister Julia Mesa, were 

 there during those three years. See De Serviez, Roman Empresses, 

 vol. ii. p. 239. 



t Passage des Alpes par Annibal, d'apres la narration de Polybe. 

 Comparee aux recherches faites sur les lieux, par J. A. De Luc. Ge- 

 neve, 1818. 



% Wars and Sports, p. 295. $ Gibbon, ch, xix. p. 177. 



I Catrou, vol. ii. p. 591. 



