( 69 ) 



Memoir on the Inquiry, Whether any Terrestrial Animals have 

 ceased to exist since Man's creatioyi ; and whether Man was 

 cotemporaneous with Species ztihich are now lost, or which 

 at least do not appear to have representatives 7iow upon our 

 globe. By M. Marcel de Seekes. (Concluded from 

 vol, XVII. p. 285.) 



III. On the different Animals and Vegetables which are represented 

 upon the Mosaic on the Pavement of the Tetnple of Fortune of 

 Pakstrina. 



Or all the antique monuments which afford a representation 

 of a great number of animals and vegetables, there is none that 

 is more curious than the Mosaic of Palestrina. Whatever ori- 

 gin is ascribed to it, and whatever may have been its object, 

 certain it is that the artist to whom we owe it, has represented 

 the various animals and vegetables with a precision and accu- 

 racy which cannot fail to command our utmost confidence. Be- 

 fore endeavouring to prove this, let us attempt to give some 

 idea of the object of the artist in the construction of this beauti- 

 ful and singular monument. 



We find that this mosaic formed the pavement of the Temple 

 of Fortune, in the ancient Praeneste, a town of Latium, upon 

 the ruins of which was built the town of Palestrina, distant 

 about twenty-one miles from Rome. This mosaic, about 20 

 feet in length by about 15 in breadth, was placed in the sanc- 

 tuary of the Temple of Fortune. As through the agency of 

 the damp to which it was exposed, it was unceasingly wasting 

 away, the Commandeur dal Pozzo caused it to be represented 

 in eighteen drawings, which imitated the original colours ; and 

 Saures, Bishop of Vaisar, gave a short description of it in his 

 History of Praeneste, printed at Rome in 1655 *. 



Somewhat later the Cardinal Baberini, wishing to withdraw 

 this mosaic from the accidents to which it was exposed, had it 

 removed into the palace of the Princes of Palestrina -f-. It was 



" Prsenest. Antiquit. Hist, torn. i. cap. xviii. 

 ■\ See the explanation of the Plate of 1721. 



