218 Miscellanies. 
12. Large skeleton of the Zeuglodon of Alabama.—The Mobile 
Daily Advertiser of May 28, informs us that Dr. Albert C. Koch, well 
known on account of the gigantic bones of the mastodon* which he 
discovered in Missouri, has brought to light a skeleton not less colossal 
of the fossil animal of Alabama, called Basilosaurus by the late Dr. 
Harlan, and Zeuglodon by Prof. Owen of the Royal College of Sur- 
geons, London. In Vol. xttv, p. 409 of this Journal, is an account 
by Mr. 8S. B. Buckley of a skeleton of this animal, now in Albany, 
whose entire length is nearly seventy feet. The notice of the recent 
discovery of Dr. Koch is thus stated in the paper named above: 
Its length is one hundred and four feet ; the solid portions of the ver- 
tebra are from fourteen to eighteen inches 1 in length, and from eight to 
twelve inches in diameter, each ty-five pounds in weight. 
Its greatly elongated jaws are armed with not less than forty incisor or 
cutting teeth, fiat canine teeth or fangs, and eight molars or grinders. 
These teeth all fit into each other when the jaw is closed, and it is clear 
that the animal was carnivorous. The eyes were large and were prom: | 
inently situated on the forehead, giving the animal the power of keeping 
a constant and vigorous watch for its prey. The body had members 
attached resembling paddles or fins, which in proportion to the size of 
the animal were small, and were doubtless intended to propel the body of 
this enormous creature through the waters of those large rivers and seas, 
which it inhabited or frequented. Each of these paddles or fins, is 
composed of twenty-one bones, which form in union, seven freely artic- 
ulating joints. The ribs are of a very peculiar shape and exceedingly 
numerous. ‘They are three times the thickness at the lower that they 
are at the superior extremity. 
_ The Editor of the Advertiser remarks :—Dr. K. is at present in this 
city, and has the skeleton of this truly wonderful animal in his charge. 
The several parts are not yet joined together, but we understand he is 
willing to arrange and prepare them for exhibition, if there were any 
probability that he would be remunerated at this period of the year for 
his labor and expense. Under the circumstances we presume he will 
take this rare curiosity, which of right belongs to Alabama, to some 
other place for its first exhibition. 
It is evident that these animals were very numerous in those seas, 
bays, estuaries and lagoons, which once occupied the region where the 
tertiary and drift formations of Alabama now are. 
We trust that an exact and scientific account of this skeleton will be 
given, and that it will be ascertained whether the bones all belong to 
one individual. 
p vy skeleton “has been purchased for the British Museum, ‘at the ‘price of 
00 sterling, and is now erected in their new Egyptian Hall. 
