339 





LETTER XXV. 



FOSSIL REMAINS OF ELEPHANTS FREQUENTLY FOUND ..MANI- 

 FEST THE EXISTENCE OF ONE OR MORE FOSSIL SPECIES. 



1 HE family of PACHYDERMATA, Crassipelles, distinguished by the great 

 thickness of the skin, by having more than two hoofs, and, except in 

 the elephant, by having all the three kinds of teeth, is divided into the 

 following genera: 1. Hyrax, Cape marmot ; 2. Sus ; 3. Tapirus ; 4. Rhi- 

 noceros ; 5. Elephas ; 6. Hippopotamus. To which may be added two 

 other genera, the fossil remains only of which have been discovered. 

 These have been named by Cuvier PaUotherium and Anoplotherium. 



Theophrastus knew of the existence not only of lapidified bones, but 

 of fossil ivory, Plin. lib. xxxv. cap. 18. The enormpus bones related 

 by Herodotus to have been found at Tegea, Herod, lib. i. sect. 68, as 

 well as those at Caprea, Suet. Ann. sect. 72, .were doubtless the bones of 

 elephants. The bones mentioned by Strabo, on the authority of Gabi- 

 nius, Strab. Geogr. lib. xvn. were, in all probability, of the elephant, or 

 of some cetaceous animal. 



Numerous remains of elephants have been found in Italy ; and al- 

 though a very considerable number of elephants were brought from 

 Africa into Italy, yet the vast extent through which these remains have 

 been found, and the great probability that the Italians, particularly the 

 Romans, would have known sufficient of the value of ivory, to have pre- 



