■Dlfcovery efthe Bones of a ^ladruped. 



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The dimenfions of the largefl: of the foot bones are as follow: 



Its greateft diameter, or breadth at the joint 



Its fmalleft diameter, or thicknefs at the fame place 



Its circumference at the fame place _ . - 



Its circumference at the middle . - - . 



Inches. 

 2.45 

 2.28 



7-1 

 S-3 



ad. Phalanx. Its length - - - 



Greateft diameter at its head or upper joint 

 Smalleft diameter at the fame place 

 Circumference at the fame place 

 3d. Phalanx. Its length - - - 



Greateft diameter at its head or upper joint 

 Smalleft diameter a* the fame place 

 Circumference at the fame place 



Were we to eftimate the fize of our animal by a comparifon with that of the Hon on the 

 principle of ex pede Herculetn, by taking the longeft claw of each as the module of their 

 meafure, it would give us as a being out of the limits of nature. It is fortunate therefore 

 that we have fome of the larger bones of the limbs which may furnifh a more certain efti- 

 mate of his ftature. Let us fuppofe then that his dimenfions of height, length and thick- 

 nefs, and of the principal members compofing thefe, were of the fame proportions with 

 thofe of the lion. In the table of M. Daubenton an ulna of 13.78 inches belonged to a 

 lion 42I: inches high over the fhoulders: then an ulna of 20.1 inches befpeaks a megalonyx 

 of 5 feet 1.75 inches height, and as animals who have the fame proportions -of height, 

 length, and thicknefs have their bulk or weights proportioned to the cubes X of any one of 

 their dimenfions, the cube of 42.5 inches is to 262 lb. the height and weight of M. Dau- 

 benton's lion as the cube of 61.75 inches to 803 lb. the height and weight of the maga- 

 lonyx ; which would prove him a little more than three times the fize of the lion, I fup- 

 pofe that we ftiould be fafe in confidering, on the authority of M. Daubenton, his lion as 

 a large one. But let it pafs as one only of the ordinary fize, and that the megalonyx, 

 whofe bones happen to have been found, was alfo of the ordinary fize. It does § appear 

 that there was difTefted for the academy of fciences at Paris, a lion- of 4 feet 9I inches 

 height. This individual would weigh 6441b. and v^ould be in his fpeciis, what a man of 

 eight feet height would be in ours. Such men have exifted. A megalonyx equally mon- 

 ftrous would be 7 feet high, and would weigh aocolb. but the ordinary race, and not the 

 monfters of it, are the objeft of our prefent enquiry. 



* It is aftually 6J inches long, but about J inch appear to have been broken off. 



f Aflually 5.65 but about \ inch is broken off. 



X Bufton xxii. iji. § Buffon xviii. 15, 



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