SCIENTIFIC LiBORS OF EDWARD LARTET. 183 



Precy, (Oise.) There was nothing peculiar in the character of this 

 fossil; its classification was easily determined; but its presence in the 

 quaternary period was a fact worthy the consideration of paleontolo- 

 gists. M. Lartet mentions as analogous cases the reindeer found at the 

 foot of the Pyrenees; the sperm whale of the bone-pits of Montmo- 

 rency, and that of the caves of Perigord, which resemble the American 

 species; the bear of Canada, which is identical with the supposed 

 agouti of the caves of Liege; the antelope found at Perigord; the 

 desman, of Muscovy, in ]S^orfolk, described by Owen under the name 

 Palcvosipalax magnns, &c. Were these consecutive changes of habita- 

 tion due to elective migration; to a forced retreat on account of the 

 invasion of man, or to a gradual reduction of the species destined to 

 become extinct"? 



This sketch of the works of M. Lartet, however incomplete, may give 

 some idea of the character of his mind. He was to the last degree 

 careful and accurate in the examination and classification of fossil 

 specimens; but their character once established on a firm foundation, 

 his ingenuity, his patience, his originality, and jjower of close observa- 

 tion frequently from facts apparently the most sterile, developed very 

 unexpected and interesting results. The definition of genius, as 

 applied to a well-known natiu-alist, " genius is patience," was fully 

 exemplified in him, and he was never more patient than during his 

 excavations in the caves, while in his application of paleontology to 

 the classification of the fossil specimens found there, he truly acted as 

 a pioneer in this branch of science. 



In the latter years of his life M. Lartet, whose modesty equaled his 

 wisdom, received many marks of honorable distinction. He was elected 

 to preside over the Geological Society in 1866 ; shortly after the Anthro- 

 pological Society gave him the same testimony of esteem. He was made 

 President of the International Archaeological and Prehistoric Anthropo- 

 logical Congress, which was inaugurated at Paris in 1867, and which 

 claimed the honor of having originated theories in regard to fossil man. 

 He was appointed a member of the commission for the History of the 

 Transactions of the Exposition of 1867, and took an active part in the 

 organization of the very interesting anthropological galleries. He ren- 

 dered important assistance in the formation of the museum of Saint Ger- 

 main, and was made an oflQcer of the legion of honor at time of its in- 

 auguration. In 1869 he was elected by the professors of the museum 

 to the chair of paleontology, made vacant by the death of M. d'Archiac, 

 whose loss was deeply deplored and whose memory will always be vene- 

 rated by the Geological Society. 



M. Lartet was sixty-eight years of age when he entered upon his pro- 

 fessorship ; he had never undertaken a course of public instruction, and 

 felt the importance of the task imposed upon him. He prepared a cer- 

 tain number of lectiu-es, but unhappily, to his great regret, his health, 

 already impaired, prevented a full exposition of his views in regard to 



