122 rALiEOiVToLOfa-. 



The principal question, which this illustrious Savant sought to rc-^ 

 solve, was to know whether fossil species are different from those at 

 present existing. This question had been more or less agitated, but no 

 precise answer had been given. Some observations led Buffon to think 

 that there were some extinct species, but the state of comparative anat- 

 omy, at that period, was such, that he was not able to prove it. Pallas, 

 on his part, called the attention of the learned to the elephants and rhi- 

 nosceroses covered with hair and found imbedded in the ice of Siberia; 

 but it was not determined whether the diflerences of tegument indicated 

 difference of species or the influence of climate on the same species. 



Cuvier is the first one who treated this question in a manner which 

 led to its solution. Before him, excepting in a few cases, they tried to 

 solve it by the study of fossil shells, which are much more abundant 

 than the remains of large animals. Cuvier perceived tliat, however man- 

 ifest were the proofs of the extinction of some fossil species, these 

 proofs must necessarily be made to apply to animals of a large size, 

 however incontestable was their non-existence at the present time. As 

 regards the smaller animals, the moUusks for example, the state of the 

 collections, and of zoological knowledge did not permit any one to af- 

 firm, with full confidence, that the species found as fossils, and of which 

 the living analogues were unknown, were not really in existence. It 

 was said that possibly their habitation in deep seas or unexplored re- 

 gions had even to this day escaped the search of collectors. From that 

 time the conclusions, drawn from a comparison of fossil and living spe- 

 cies, destitute of a solid basis, wanted rigor and always remained un- 

 certain. 



Cuvier showed, on the other hand, that the large animals vvere nearly 

 all known for many years, that modern science has added very few spe- 

 cies of a large size to those known by the ancients, and that the conti- 

 nents and seas are now traversed and explored so thoroughly, that they 

 do not conceal from us any large quadrupeds of unknown forms. It is 

 then evident, that the comparison of living and fossil mammals would 

 give us results more striking and certain than that of inferior animals, 

 and that, if this comparison demonstrates that the fossil species are dif- 

 ferent from those which now exist, the conclusion should be received 

 witli confidence. The illustrious naturalist at once set to work, and es- 

 tablislied the science of comparative anatomy, and with a perseverance 

 and learning that are amazing, he worked out these palaeontological 

 problems, which now stand as enduring monuments of his genius and 

 industry. He proved that nearly all the fossil species are different from 

 the living ones, lie established the fact that no living species arc found 



