528 Miscellaneous. 
MISCELUANEOUS. 
ed 
Mammatian Fossits rrom Uruguay.—The richness in fossil 
Mammalian remains of some of the newer Tertiary deposits of South 
America is shown by a small collection of bones recently presented 
to the British Museum by David A. Stoddart, Esq., which were 
found in a bank of shingle in the Rio Negro, Banda Oriental. In 
the collection are the remains of several genera, amongst which is a 
skull of a small but adult Mastodon, together with several detached 
teeth of the same genus, and also of Megatherium, Mylodon, Sce- 
lidotherium, Toxodon, and part of the cranium of an animal allied to 
Toxodon, portions of antlers of Deer, a femur of a large Carnivore, 
and several pieces of carapaces of more than one species of Glyptodon, 
one of which is new. ‘The fossils are in different states of preserva- 
tion; for whilst the structure of the bone of some is scarcely altered 
and but little injured by rolling, others are much water-worn, and 
have undergone a complete lithological change. 
The attention of travellers about to proceed to South America is 
directed to the important fact, that notwithstanding the labours of 
Cuvier, Owen, Lund, &c., in describing, and of Sir Woodbine 
Parish, Bravard, Claussen, and others in collecting, there is much 
to be added to the wonderful and peculiar fossil fauna of the South 
American Continent ; and there is abundant proof that these re- 
mains abound, not only in its mountain-caves, but also in the banks 
of its numerous and large rivers, and in its extensive plains.—W. D. 
GEOLOGICAL ANECDOTE OF MR. GEORGE STEPHENSON.*—Mr. Ste- 
phenson had some interest in a coal-mine near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, 
Leicestershire. After much expense had been incurred, and before a 
sufficient depth had been attained to render the mine a paying specula- 
tion, all efforts were one day suddenly interrupted by amass of granite- 
rock. It was the general impression that the miners had reached 
the supposed granite nucleus of the earth. But Mr. Stephenson, 
from his own observation and reflections, had previously arrived at 
the conclusion (afterwards corroborated) that granite-veins may 
belong to any period, and may be found intruded among strata of 
Secondary as well as Primary origin. Accordingly he went down to 
survey the plutonic intruder, and the following are his characteristic 
words :—‘I looked the fellow round about: I saw he was a 
stranger who had no business there; and I thought I would have 
a good rattle at him.’ After rattling at the granite for only a 
very short time, the miners got through it; more productive Coal- 
measures were found underneath; and I have lately been informed 
that the mine is still worked with profit to the proprietors.—D. M. 
* This anecdote was communicated to the writer about eighteen years ago by one 
of Mr. Stephenson’s mining-agents. 
