COUNCIL FOR 1844. 17 



for its extreme rarity, than for the instructive evidence it affords 

 to the most casual observer, of the ahnost incredible size at- 

 tained, during a comparatively recent epoch in the geological 

 history of the Globe, by some species in the Chelonian group. 

 The most prominent place that could be fixed upon in the 

 Geological room has been selected for the exhibition of this 

 valuable donation. 



Along with a collection of Silurian fossils from the neigh- 

 bourhood of Cincinnati, our zealous corresponding member 

 Mr. Joseph Clarke has presented a fine tooth of the Mastodon 

 giganteus, a donation particularly acceptable, as the Museum, 

 although so rich in the remains of the fossil elephant, had pre- 

 viously nothing to illlustrate the remarkable dentition of this 

 nearly allied but extinct genus of proboscidean Pachydermata. 

 Another tooth but from the celebrated locality in Kentucky 

 termed Big-bone Lick, and to the very small size of which, 

 Mr. Clarke in his letters directs particular attention, will 

 probably be found to be the third milk-tooth of the same 

 species. Passing from foreign accessions to those we have 

 received in Home Geology, a large series of Silurian fossils, 

 collected by herself in the neighbourhood of Great Malvern, 

 has been presented by Miss Phillips. The collection of fossil 

 fishes has been enriched by some beautiful specimens of the 

 genera Platysomus and Palseoniscus from the magnesian lime- 

 stone near Ferryhill, presented by George Hudson, Esq. The 

 Lord Mayor has presented a very choice collection of fossils 

 from the Cornbrash and inferior Oolite in the neighbourhood 

 of Scarborough; and a few valuable specimens from the Coral- 

 line Oolite have been given by Mr. Pickering and Mr. Barton, 

 of Malton. 



From Lord Prudhoe the Museum has received a very in- 

 structive series of specimens of Stigmaria ficoides, from the 

 sandstone of the Coal Measures near Darlington ; and a por- 

 tion of a large fossil stem found in the coal at Wigan has 

 been kindly forwarded to the Museum by S. Hailstone, Esq. 



