ROOM III. THE MOSASAURUS OF MAESTRICHT. 195 



of the fossils of the vicinity, had the good fortune to obtain 

 a specimen which has conferred an enduring celebrity on his 

 name. 



Some workmen, on blasting the rock in one of the caverns 

 of the interior of the mountain, perceived to their astonish- 

 ment the jaws of a large animal attached to the roof of the 

 chasm. The discovery was immediately made known to 

 M. Hoffman, who repaired to the spot, and for weeks presided 

 over the arduous task of separating the mass of stone con- 

 taining these remains, from the surrounding rock. His 

 labours were rewarded by the successful extrication of the 

 specimen, which he conveyed in triumph to his house. This 

 extraordinary discovery, however, soon became the subject of 

 general conversation, and excited so much interest, that the 

 Canon of the cathedral which stands on the mountain resolved 

 to claim the fossil, in right of being lord of the manor ; and 

 succeeded, after a long and harassing lawsuit, in obtaining 

 this precious relic. It remained for years in his possession, 

 and Hoffman died without regaining his treasure, or receiving 

 any compensation. At length the French Revolution broke 

 out, and the armies of the Republic advanced to the gates of 

 Maestricht. The town was bombarded \ but at the suggestion 

 of the committee of savans who accompanied the French 

 troops to select their share of the plunder, the artillery was 

 not suffered to play on that part of the city in which the 

 celebrated fossil was known to be preserved. In the mean 

 time, the Canon of St. Peter's, shrewdly suspecting the reason 

 why such peculiar favour was shown to his residence, removed 

 the specimen, and concealed it in a vault ; but when the city 

 was taken, the French authorities compelled him to give up 

 his ill-gotten prize, which was immediately transmitted to the 

 Jardin des Plantes, at Paris, where it still forms one of the 

 most striking objects in that magnificent collection. 1 



The beautiful model in Case B, is a faithful representation 



1 Faujas St. Fond, from whose beautiful work on the Fossils of 

 St. Peter's Mountain (Histoire Naturette de la Montague de St. Pierre) 

 the above account is taken, observes with much sangfroid "La Justice, 

 quoiqufi tardive, arrive enfin avec le temps." The reader will probably 

 think that although the reverend Canon was justly despoiled of his ill- 

 gotten treasure, the French Commissioners were but very equivocal 

 representatives of Justice! 



