58 Account of the Fossil Bones discovered 



seen in it exactly resemble two species of a genus represented 

 in the work of Cuvier, and to which he gives the name of 

 Atithracotherium. 



The other teeth of quadrupeds which exist, and which I 

 am able to recognize, are those of an animal of the horse kind, 

 and those of an animal of the ruminant family, apparently of 

 the size of the buffalo. There are of course a great many 

 bones which T have not the skill to determine. 



Among the remains are numerous specimens of those of a 

 crocodile, which I conjecture to resemble the long-nosed alliga- 

 tor of the Ganges, the native name of which has been corrupt- 

 ed by naturalists into Gavial. It is singular that this descrip- 

 tion of alligator, as far as we know, is not at present found in 

 the rivers of Ava. 



In the same situation with the bones were found consider- 

 able quantities of fossil shells. Some of these were filled with 

 blue clay, but far the greater number with hard sihceous mat- 

 ter. The shells which I have seen are of the genus Turbo and 

 genus Tellina, and the productions of fresh water, although 

 they do not, at the same time, resemble the present shells of 

 the lakes and rivers of the neighbourhood. 



The fossil wood is found in the same situation with the 

 bones and shells. This is in vast quantity, the hills and ra- 

 vines being strewed with blocks and fragments of various sizes, 

 some of them five and six feet in circumference. 



The fossil remains now sketched are found on the left bank 

 of Irawadi, and within four and six miles inland from the 

 river, between the 20th and 21st degrees of north latitude, and 

 close to the celebrated wells of Petroleum. The aspect of the 

 country is very remarkable. It is composed of sand-hills and 

 narrow ravines, very sterile, and for a tropical country very 

 deficient in vegetation. Among the sand there are beds of 

 gravel, with ironstone and calcareous breccia. The whole is 

 evidently a diluvial formation. The few scattered trees which 

 exist in this tract consist of some Acacias, a Celtis, a Rhus, a 

 Barringtonia, a Zizyphus, and some Indian fig-trees. To say 

 whether or not the fossil timber found belong to the same spe- 

 cies as these would be a matter of difficulty ; but, upon the 



