310 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



its hook-like trunk to a tree on the nver-bank. If, as the hook-like 

 tusks would seem to indicate, it lived pkrtly upon roots which were 

 torn up by these instruments, we must allow it the privilege of passing 

 a part of the time on shore. In short, we should be much disposed 

 to consider the animal as very analogous in habit and residence to the 

 Hippopotamus. 



" While the bones of the Dinotherium are widely scattered through 

 the continent of Europe, and even in Australia, the most remarkable 

 deposit is found in the sands of Eppelsheim. This celebrated locality 

 forms a part of the Rhine basin, belonging to the upper tertiary or 

 pliocene formation. It is constituted by layers of loess, of calcareous 

 and ossiferous conglomerate, of sand, of clayey marl, and, finally, of 

 fragmentary ossiferous and marine conglomerate, arranged in layers 

 from one to several feet in thickness. In the last of these are found 

 the remains of the Dinotherium. The whole depth from the surface 

 is about forty feet. They lie in great confusion, intermixed with the 

 bones of other animals, among which we find those of Mastodon 

 longirostris, Rhinoceros Schleiermacheri, Acerotherium incisivum, 

 Arctomys primigenia, Spermophilus superciliosus, Tapirus priscus, 

 Sus palseologicus, cervus, &c. Of these and other bones from the 

 same place we have fine casts, made under the direction of Professor 

 Kaup. 



" How these vast collections were formed in the London, Paris, 

 Rhine, and other basins, is a matter of deep interest. The more com- 

 mon opinion has been, that this conglomeration was formed by some 

 great deluge. In many cases, however, the bones lie in their natural 

 position, as if the animal had died quietly on the spot, and their re- 

 mains were gradually accumulated during a course of countless ages. 



" How should so many species and families have been extermi- 

 nated } The march of geology and paleontology will no doubt lead 

 us to wonderful discoveries in these new sciences, and thus afford some 

 answer to this question ; but probably there will always remain many 

 inexplicable phenomena to keep alive the curiosity of future genera- 

 tions." 



Professor Peirce communicated the results of his investiga- 

 tions relating to Foucault's experiment with the pendulum. 

 In the course of his remarks, he referred to a mathematical 

 discovery by Encke, which had been anticipated by Mr. G. 



