Dr. Scouler's Account of some Fossil Remains. 5 



The remains consist chiefly of tusks of the elephant, and of these 

 at least five have been found at different times, so that they must 

 have belonged to three different individuals. These tusks are ge- 

 nerally in very good preservation, and the ivory is in some instance» 

 as fine q^ when the animal lived. The external crust of the tusks 

 is in general more or less decayed, and of a black colour, and easi- 

 ly separable from the body of the tusk. Besides these tusks seve- 

 ral ribs were found a few years ago ; but they have been dispersed 

 among several individuals residing at a distance. When I visited 

 the place, most of the specimens had been distributed, but I was 

 so fortunate as to obtain a grinder, the only one that was found : 

 probably they were more abundant, but had not attracted atten- 

 tion, and had been neglected. The crown is broken off, but the 

 disposition of the narrow bands of enamel is so characteristic, that 

 there can be no difficulty in assigning this grinder to the fossil 

 elephant, even although we had not the aid derived from the cir- 

 cumstance of the tusks being found in the same place. The unri- 

 valled work of Cuvier is always a sufficient guide in these investi- 

 gations. 



The horns of the fossil elk have also been found in the same si- 

 tuation, and at the same time ; and this is an interesting occur- 

 rence, as they are not generally associated with the bones of the 

 elephant. Of the occurrence of horns in that situation, there can 

 be no doubt ; and in all probability they belonged to the elk, al- 

 though I am sorry I cannot speak decidedly on this subject, as I 

 have not had an opportunity of seeing and examining them. 



These bones were not all found at the same time ; but almost 

 every year a tusk is found, as they make progress in removing the 

 earth from the surface of the sandstone. This season a tusk and 

 the elk's horns were found, and the grinder which I have already 

 mentioned. 



ART. III. On the Native Forests of Aberdeenshire. By the Rev. 

 J. Fabquharson, F.R.S. 



(Communicated by W. J. Hooker, LL.D. F.R.A. & L.S. &c.) 



The following queries respecting the natural forests of fir, (Pinus 

 sf/lvestris,) in the upper parts of the valley of the Dee, having been 

 submitted to the Rev. J, Farquharson of Alford, Aberdeenshire, 

 that gentleman most kindly communicated the result of his own 

 observations and inquiries, in a memoir which we think deserving 

 the most serious and attentive consideration of the naturalist, as 

 well as of the planter. 



The queries were as follows : — 



1. " What is the greatest elevation above the level of the sea which 

 ihe^r-trees of the forests of Braemar attain upon the mountains ?" 



