24 On Elephantine Bones. 



animal lay around, and added a silent, but sure, confir- 

 mation." 



All the vestiges, which I have mentioned, were in- 

 cumbent upon a stratum of limestone. From the num- 

 ber of bones already discovered, hopes are entertained, 

 lhat a complete skeleton of this enormous animal, once 

 so common in man)- parts of the New-World, may be 

 formed. 



The information, which I have communicated to you, 

 I have just received from one of my correspondents in 

 Virginia, Bishop Madison, the President of the College 

 of William and Mary, in that state. The Bishop is a 

 man of considerable attainments in science, and has long 

 enjoyed the reputation of being one of the most amiable 

 and respectable characters in our country. Mr. Madi- 

 son's letter is dated (Williamsburg) October 6th ; so 

 that, you see, I have not, in this instance at least, lost 

 much time in letting you know what we are doing, in 

 the United- States, for your favourite study. 



It may be proper to inform you, that the county of 

 Wythe, in which the exuviae were discovered, is one of 

 the trans-alpine counties of the state : that is, it is situ- 

 ated to the west of the great ranges of mountains known, 

 in our country, by the names of the Blue-Ridge (or 

 South-Mountain*) ; the North-Mountain ; and the Al- 

 leghancy-Mountain ; and the spot may be about 200, 



* Sometimes called the Blue-Mountain. This great chain has 

 been confounded, by Professor l'layfair, and other learned natu- 

 ralists, with the Allcghancy-Mo'iiitain. 



