316 ANDREW JACKSON HOWE. 



of its scales. All the ganoids are covered with dia- 

 mond shaped scutes, therefore if a fossil scale of that 

 form be brought from a quarry of gypsum or other 

 Miocene rock, the fish can readily be sketched on a 

 blackboard, and the peculiarities of the creature be 

 given. All of the salmon family have the teeth 

 peculiarly set in the palate, therefore if a fossil jaw 

 bearing that peculiar arrangement of teeth should be 

 discovered in a Pliocene bed, the fact would be estab- 

 lished that the salmonidse existed in that geological 

 period ; and that the waters were cold enough for the 

 fish to flourish in. Nor would it be difficult for the 

 artist to depict the shape of the fish, with its fins and 

 markings. But in other instances, where the animal 

 has no prominent characteristic, the restoration is not 

 so easy and reliable. Cuvier restored the anoplo- 

 therium, the paleeotherium, and Other large creatures 

 from very scanty means, but it is now thought that 

 improvement might be made upon some of them. A 

 study of the various species of the tapir family has 

 thrown some light upon the form and habits of the 

 extinct palseotherium. If Cuvier, in coming across 

 the teeth and pelvis of the orohippus, had attempted 

 to construct a small horse in accordance with his ana- 

 tomical formula, he would undoubtedly have made it 

 a solidungulate, and not a beast with four toes. 



The following words addressed to the Emperor in 

 commendation of Napoleon's desire to make France 

 great in science as well as military achievements, ex- 

 press Cuvier's appreciation of the arts of peace : " To 

 lead the mind of man to its noble destination, a, 

 knowledge of the truth, to spread sound and whole- 

 some ideas among the lowest classes of the people, to 

 draw human beings from the empire of prejudices and 



