PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES, 269 



was employed for feeding the Dogs of its discoverers. The abundance of Mam- 

 moths, bones, teeth and tusks which occur throughout the diluvium of Russia, 

 Eastern Siberia, and the Arctic Marshes was described as evidence of the last 

 great catastrophe recorded in the inspired narrative. The superficial strata of 

 Poland, Germany, Bohemia, France, Italy, and of almost every country in the 

 British Islands were shewn to contain the fossil bones of Elephants. The ossi- 

 ferous caves of Europe were next alluded to, and the specific characters of the 

 extinct species of this gigantic genus, now confined to Asia and Africa, pointed 

 out, from which examination it appeared that the fossil Elephants approached 

 more closely to the Asiatic than to the African species. From the various cha- 

 racters of fossil teeth, it was supposed that we possess at least the remains of six 

 distinct species. The dental formula of the Mastodon and the organization of its 

 skeleton was compared with that of the Elephant. 



The gigantic Mastodon, the remains of which are peculiar to the American 

 continent, was first described, and its generic characters distinctly pointed out ; 

 remains of the smaller or narrow-toothed Mastodon are common to both hemis- 

 pheres ; the characters of this genus repose on the form which the worn surfaces 

 of their teeth present, and on some osteological modifications which the lecturer 

 demonstrated. The zoological peculiarities of fossil Rhinoceroses were next 

 alluded to, and their affinities indicated as forming interesting links that connect 

 the present isolated species of this gigantic genus with each other, and the entire 

 group with other Pacht/dermata, and the lecture concluded by demonstrating the 

 singular organization of the Megatherium. 



Mr. Wright resumed his lectures on Fossil Organic Remains on Feb. 20, when 

 he delivered the third lecture of the course. The lecture table was crowded with 

 illustrative specimens, and a great number of very beautifully-executed drawings 

 of the various remains to be described covered the wall above. 



The lecturer gave a sketch of the relative position of the secondary strata, 

 described the formations which compose the saliferous, oolitic, and cretaceous 

 systems, and made some allusion to the probable condition of the globe during 

 the deposition of the secondary rocks, and shewed that the animals which tenanted 

 the air, the land, and the waters of these periods of the earth's history were 

 altogether different from any thing that we are at present acquainted with. Mr. 

 W. described the leading features of the class reptiles, and demonstrated the 

 modification of the structure on which their classification into Chelonians (Tor- 

 toises), Saurians (Lizards), Ophidians (Serpents), and Batrachians (Frogs) repose. 

 Fossil reptiles, he said, had been grouped by Von Meyer into marine, terrestrial, 

 and aerial, &c. He intended to follow this arrangement in the present lecture. 

 The Ichthyosaurus, or Fish-lizard, being the most singular of all the marine Sau- 

 rians, was first described. The lecturer entered fully into the peculiarities of its 



vol. in. — no. xx. 2 o 



