129 



Miscellaneous articles. 



Numerous, extraordinary, and stupendous remains 

 of non-descript animals, found in the vicinity of the 

 rivers Ohio, Wabash, Illinois, Mississippi, Osage, 

 Missouri, &c. brought to England by a gentleman 

 who passed several years on a mineralogical tour in 

 unfrequented parts of North- America. They consist 

 of different parts of animals, such as heads, vertebras, 

 ribs, grinders, and horns ; among which, the most 

 worthy of remark is the foot of a clawed animal of 

 the ferce order, or tiger species. This paw, clothed 

 with flesh, skin, and hair, filled with muscles, flex- 

 ors, and cartilages, must, when dilated on its prey, 

 have covered a space of ground four feet by three. 

 Did the animal to whom it appertained partake of 

 a strength of body proportionate to the size of this 

 foot, and at the same time add the agiiity and fero- 

 city of the tiger to his unequalled magnitude, he must 

 have been the terror of the forest, and of mankind. 

 That such an animal did exist, this specimen is a 

 sufficient proof; nor did it alone inhabit America, for 

 we have reason to believe that an animal, similar in 

 some respects to the above, once had possession of 

 our island ; for various remains of non-descript ani- 

 mals have been frequently dug up of late in different 

 counties. The thigh-bone marked A. which is 

 S 



