439 



jaw did, M. Cuvier remarks, that it must have been of a genus entirely 

 distinct from the other carnivorous animals. 



A small astragalus was also found, resembling that of the cat or of 

 the ichneumon, and which very probably belonged to the same animal 

 as the humerus. 



' An ulna was also found, belonging to. some carnivorous animal, and 

 of those species which have short legs, as the otters, &c. but larger than 

 those of the largest sea-otters. From this bone alone, he does not hesi- 

 tate in saying, that the animal to which it belonged is unknown to na- 

 turalists. 



A metacarpal bone was found also at Montmartre, which in its thick- 

 ness agreed with that of the cats, ichneumons, and otters; but being dou- 

 ble the size of the analogous bone in the otter, he thinks it may be con- 

 sidered as belonging to the same animal as the ulna. 



Thus, then, M. Cuvier appears to have discovered the remains of three 

 carnivorous animals in the plaster quarries ; and M. Camper possesses 

 a metacarpal bone, which is of the same proportional length as that of 

 the dog ; but its absolute size is such, as will not allow of referring it to 

 any of the species whose fragments have been obtained. This points 

 out a fourth fossil carnivorous animal in these quarries. These, with the 

 small sariguc, are all which have been there discovered of this class. 



