Ostcological Description cf the. ove-horncd Rhhioccfos. J 11 



America, the husbaud is nursed for some days aiter his 

 wife has brought forth. Auicng the Runsiaiis homicide is 

 almost considered as a inatU'r of indifference ; but amoua- 

 the Eslenes it is punished with deatli. Both tribes observe 

 ncajly the same funeral ceremonies ; but among one of them, 

 whatever property is left by the deceased is divided amonf 

 his relations; among the other, all the friends bring, as a 

 farewell offering, some articles of furniture, which are in- 

 terred with him. 



It is very remarkable, that two tribes so near to each other 

 and so similar in some respects should be so different iu 

 others; this difference is particularly remarked in their lan- 

 guages; between which the ablest etymologists would scarcely 

 Bnd the slightest relation. 



XVIII. Osteologkal Description of the one-horned Rhino- 

 ceros, by CuviER. 

 [Continued fiom our last volume, p. 3^4..] 



2i, The Teeth. 



J\. KNOWLEDGE of thc number and position of the teeth, 

 but particularly of the changes which take place in their 

 figure at different ages, is of the greatest importance in the. 

 study of the nature of animals in general, but especially 

 iu researches respecting those species to which the fossil 

 bones have belonged. I have therefore paid more attention, 

 to this part than to any other. 



This was necessary in a particular manner in regard to 

 the rhinoceros. The want of proper observations had oc- 

 casioned a variation among naturalists in this respect ; and 

 M. Faujas, the last person who examined it, has only in- 

 creased our doubts : a regard for truth has induced me to 

 rectify what he has said on this subject. 



My observations are the more necessar)', as this learned 

 geologist had deduced, from facts seen in a wrong point of 

 view, conclusions subversive of those bases on which the 

 systems of zoology are founded. But those who are not 

 in a situation to verify the facts in question ; and who, on 

 thc other hand, are unacquainted with the rational foun- 

 dations of our systems, may too readily adopt conclusions 

 advanced by a naturalist of so great authority, which would 

 remove still to a greater distance the epoch when the real 

 principles of zoology will be universally acknowledged. 



I shall observe then in general, that all the rhinoceroses 

 hare seven molar teeth on each side, both in the upper and 

 lower jaw, making twenty-eight ail together. 



The 



