104 MEMOIRS OF 



for the first time, to the eye of the naturalist." 

 At the end of the description of the sarigue, 

 M. Cuvier continues, — *' I will not dilate on 

 the geological consequences of this Memoir*, 

 for it will be evident to all those who under- 

 stand the systems relative to the theory of the 

 earth, that it overturns almost every thing which 

 concerns fossil remains. It has been admitted 

 that the fossils of the North have been animals 

 from Asia ; it was also allowed that the animals 

 of Asia had passed over into North America, 

 and had been there buried ; but it appeared 

 that the American genera had come from their 

 own soil, and had never extended to the coun- 

 tries which now form the Old World. My dis- 

 coveries lead to the contrary opinion, and this is 

 the second proof I have received. Fully per- 

 suaded of the futility of all these systems, I con- 

 gratulate myself whenever a well-attested fact 

 destroys some one of them. The greatest ser- 

 vice that can be rendered to science is, carefully 

 and decidedly to find the place of every thing 

 before building upon it, then to begin by over- 

 throwing all those fantastic edifices which choke 

 up the avenues, and which prevent the entrance of 



* It was first published as a separate Memoir in the An- 

 nales du Museum, 



