FOSSIL MAMMALIA. 105 



was environed on all sides by the sea, and that, like all the 

 greater islands, it possessed its own peculiar population. This 

 even holds good with respect to its vegetation : for the debris 

 only of plants now unknown in Europe are found in the strata 

 of which we are speaking. 



The Baron, in his grand work on the ^' Ossemens Fossiles," 

 first gives a geological survey of the environs of Paris, and 

 then a very detailed account of the steps which he pursued in 

 restoring the skeletons of the ancient animals. It would be 

 utterly out of the question for us to attempt to follow him in 

 this narrative of his amazing labours. We must limit ourselves 

 to giving the results in as brief a space as possible. 



Of the fossil quadrupeds, whose remains were found in the 

 plaster-quarries, M. Cuvier has formed two distinct genera 

 under the names of Pal^eotherium and Anoplotherium. 

 The first approximates to the tapirs, in the number and dispo- 

 sition of the teeth, and more particularly in the conformation of 

 the nasal bones. The second is peculiarly remarkable in not 

 having the canine teeth projecting, and in all the teeth forming 

 a continuous series, in the same manner as in the human species. 

 Two species only of the palaeotherium furnished a sufficient 

 quantity of bones, to enable the Baron pretty nearly to recon- 

 struct their skeletons entire, and, consequently, to draw con- 

 clusions respecting the forms of these skeletons, respecting those 

 of the soft parts, and to advance some probable conjectures 

 respecting the mode of living of these animals. The greatest 

 number of the other species have only been recognised by por- 

 tions, more or less considerable, of heads furnished with teeth, 

 or by certain bones of the extremities. The reality, however, 

 of these species is rendered incontestable, by the differences 

 which their debris exhibit, when compared with those of the 

 two restored species. 



The bones of the first species of the palaeotherium were 

 found, as we said, in the Parisian calcareous gypsum. Since 

 then, other species of the same genus have been found in several 



