THEORY OF THE EARTH. 53 



given rise to the theory of the earth, have, at the 

 same time, furnished it with its principal illustra- 

 tions ; the only ones, indeed, that have as yet 

 been generally acknowledged. 



It is this consideration which has encouraged 

 us to investigate the subject. But the field is 

 vast ; and it is but a very small portion of it that 

 could be cultivated by the labour of a single in- 

 dividual. It was necessary, therefore, to select a 

 particular department ; and the choice was soon 

 made. The class of fossil remains which forms 

 the subject of this work, engaged our attention 

 at the very outset, because it appeared to us to 

 be that which is the most fertile in precise results, 

 and yet, at the same time, less known, and richer 

 in new objects of research *. 



High importance of the Fossil Bones of Quadrupeds* 



It is obvious, in fact, that the fossil bones of 

 quadrupeds must lead to more accurate conclu- 

 sions than any other remains of organized bodies, 

 and that for several reasons. 



* My work has, in fact, proved how far this inquiry was 

 yet new when I commenced it, notwithstanding the excel- 

 lent labours of Camper, Pallas, Blumenbach, Merk, Sim- 

 mering, Rosenmiiller, Fischer, Faujas, Home, and other 

 learned men, whose works I have most scrupulously cited 

 in such of my chapters as their researches are connected 

 with. 



