76 TERTIARY SER.IES. 



As the bones of all these animals found in the earliest 

 series of the tertiary deposites are accompanied by the re- 

 mains of reptiles, such as now inhabit the fresh waters of 

 warm countries, e. g. the Crocodile, Emys, and Trionyx 

 (see PI. 1, Figs. 80, 81, 82,) and also by the leaves and 

 prostrate trunks of palm trees (PI. 1, Figs. 66, 67, 68, and 

 PI. 56,) we cannot but infer that the temperature of France 

 was much higher than it is at present, at the time when it 

 was occupied by these plants and reptiles, and by Mamma- 

 lia allied to families which are natives of some of the 

 warmest latitudes of the present earth, e. g. the Tapir, Rhi- 

 noceros, and Hippopotamus. 



The frequent intrusion of volcanic rocks is a remarkable 

 accompaniment of the tertiary strata of the Eocene period, 

 in various parts of Europe ; and changes of level, resulting 

 from volcanic agency, may partially explain the fact, that 

 portions of the same districts became alternately the recep- 

 tacles of fresh and salt water. 



The fresh-water calcareous deposites of this period are 

 also highly important, in relation to the general history of 

 the origin of limestone, from their aflbrding strong evidence 

 of the sources whence carbonate of lime has been derived.* 



ture. Hence there is no doubt that the Sivatherium was invested with a 

 trunk like the Tapir. Its jaw is twice as large as that of a Buffalo, and 

 larger tlian that of a Rliinoceros. The remains of the Sivatherium were ac- 

 companied by those of tlic Elephant, Mastodon, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, 

 several Ruminantiaj &c. 



It is stated that there is a wider distance between the living Genera of 

 the Order Pachydermata tlian between those of any other Order of Mam- 

 malia, and that many intervals in the series of these animals have been 

 filled up by extinct Genera and Species, discovered in strata of the Tertiary 

 series. The Sivatherium forms an important addition to the extinct Genera 

 of this intermediate and connecting character. The value of such links 

 with reference to considerations in Natural Theology will be alluded to else- 

 where. 



* We see that thermal springs, in volcanic districts, issue from the 

 earth, so highly charged with carbonate of lime, as to overspread large 

 tracts of country with beds of calcareous tufa, or travertino. The waters 



