162 



THE RECENT. 



many of these decline, and mammoths, hippopotami, rhino- 

 ceroses, deer, wild oxen, horse, "bears, and tigers become the 

 dominant features. In like manner, when we turn to Asia, 

 we can trace a similar ascent from the earlier stages, which 

 contain many forms in common with those of Europe, to 

 the middle stages, characterised by their numerous forms of 

 elephant, sivatheres, bramatheres, camels, giraffe, lion, tiger, 



Mammoth (Elephas primiAemus). Mastodon. 



monkey, crocodiles, and tortoises of enormous magnitude ; 

 and from these again to the upper stages, where the mam- 

 moth, rhinoceros, urus, horse, ass, and other creatures lead 

 insensibly to the existing forms of that gigantic continent. 

 In the same way it will be found with Africa, when geo- 

 logy has carried her researches further into that little 

 known region ; and so also it has been found in North 



