328 On the Identity of the FossU Bones Jbund in Georgia, 



remarks to a few, whose peculiar conformation renders them of 

 the greatest utility for comparison with the descriptions and 

 figures of Cuvier and others. The first bone which he notices, 

 is the united tibia and fibula. It was broken into three pieces, 

 which, when brought together, formed nearly the entire bone. 

 On comparing it with the minute description of bone, and with 

 the figures recently published by Pander and D'Alten, the re- 

 semblance was found to be nearly perfect. This bone belonged 

 to the left side. The following are its principal dimensions : 



Inches. 

 From the anterior border of the upper extremity to the 



anterior border of the lower, 24.1 



From the posterior border of the upper extremity to the 



posterior point of the lower, 9,5.G 



Breadth at its widest part, including the fibula, . . . 12.5 



Breadth at its narrowest part, just below the foramen, . 10.4 



These dimensions, he observes, agree sufficiently with those which 

 Cuvier assigns to the corresponding bone of the megatherium. 

 The other portion, which he particularly notices, is one of the 

 metacarpal-bones, and quite perfect. On comparing it with the 

 bones of the megalonyx, of which there are good casts in the 

 Lyceum, he was immediately struck with its great resemblance 

 to that which Cuvier considers as the metacarpal-bone of the 

 middle-toe of the left fore-foot ; and a further examination satis- 

 fied him, that it was in fact the corresponding bone. Cuvier 

 speaks of the enormous size of the metacarpal-bones of the me- 

 galonyx ; but, enormous as they are, this of the megatherium is 

 at least ten times as large. In other respects there is a great 

 general resemblance, though the bone from Georgia is shorter 

 in proportion to its thickness and height ; and, from the appear- 

 ance of the vertical ridge at the lower extremity, could not have 

 admitted of as much motion as the articulation with the first 

 phalanx. There is also in this ridge a pretty deep notch, which 

 is not found in the megalonyx. The author concludes with 

 stating, that a gentleman of Savannah is said to have in his pos- 

 session, from the same island, an entire lower maxillary-bone, 

 agreeing in all respects with the description of the megatherium, 

 which, he remarks, must have belonged to a different individual 



