INTRODUCTION. 



A Gentleman who has passed several 

 years in North America, and whose 

 pursuit was the study of nature, has just 

 returned to this country with several 

 boxes containing objects of the highest 

 interest to the curious and intelligent 

 world. Conscious of the erroneous opi- 

 nions which had been entertained respec- 

 ting the stupendous Animal Remains 

 found in Russia, Siberia, and the western 

 climes, he bent his mind designedly to 

 that particular investigation, and made 

 researches for such materials as he knew 

 to be necessary for the foundation of ab- 

 stract truth, or reasonable hypothesis. 

 The absence of such materials led the in- 

 genious author of" JVoteson Virginia,'' to 

 various beautiful visions, but to no salu- 

 tary or solid fact. From the same cause, 

 the celebrated Doctor Hunter, and many 

 others, have wasted infinite science on 

 some favourite theory; and the world, 

 from this wide and multifarious opinion, 

 had to embrace, now one delusion, and 



