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LETTER XXIV. 



FOSSIL BONES OF RUMINANTS, &C. IN THE ISLANDS OF CHERSO 



AND OSERO ISLAND OF CERIGO AT NICE AND ANTIBES 



AT CETTE NEAR CONCUD, IN ARRAGON IN THE ROCK OF 



GIBRALTAR. 



- 



F EW among the interesting objects which present themselves for our 

 examination can appear more wonderful than those which are now to 

 engage our attention. In the rock of Gibraltar, in Arragon, in Nice, 

 and Antibes ; on the more northern shores of the Mediterranean; in the 

 more northern parts of the island of Corsica ; in Dalmatia, and in the 

 islands of Cherso and Osero, as well as in several others of the islets of 

 the Adriatic, the bones of similar animals have been found deposited, 

 in situations and under circumstances extremely similar. Or, in the 

 expressive language of Cuvier : " Des rochers epars, et souvent isoles, a 

 plusieurs centaines de lieues les uns des autres, mais formes de la meme 

 pierre, sont fendu en differens sens; leurs fissures sont remplies d'une 

 concretion semblable partout, qui enveloppe des os et des fragmens de 

 pierres, et a toutes ces distances les fragmens de pierres, et les os sont a 

 peu pres les memes. An. du Mus. Tome xiu. p. 169. 



The first notice which appears to have been given of these fossils was 

 in 1745, by Vitaliano Donati, to whose assiduous inquiries I have already 

 acknowledged my obligations, whilst examining into the structure of the 



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