130 FOSSIL MAMMALIA. 



Those of one species of campagnol (the hypudaus), about the 

 size of a water-rat, are there in the most immense abundance. 

 In these bones the generic characters of the campagnol, more 

 especially of that particular subdivision to which the water-rat 

 belongs, are easily to be recognised. Still, with the exception 

 of the jaws and teeth, all the other bones are somewhat smaller, 

 which causes the Baron Cuvier to consider the species as not 

 the same. This campagnol of Kirkdale is found, on compa- 

 rison, considerably smaller than those of the osseous breccia of 

 Sardinia, Corsica, and Ceuta. 



There are also in this cavern campagnols of another species, 

 not exceeding in size the mus arvalis. There are also teeth 

 found there which indubitably appertain to the genus of the 

 rat, properly so called. There are, besides, some bones which 

 Dr. Buckland gives as those of the rabbit, but M. Cuvier is 

 more inclined to think (if not of an unknown species) to belong 

 to the hare. 



In the turbaries the bones of castors have been found, but in 

 such formations scarcely any but the bones of indigenous ani- 

 mals are preserved. This animal formerly inhabited all the 

 great rivers of Europe, as it does many of them still. It is 

 not, therefore, surprising that its bones should be found in peat 

 formations, and preserved by the same causes by which the 

 aquatic mosses are preserved there. This proves nothing with 

 respect to the antediluvian existence of this genus. 



In the loose strata, however, near the sea of Azof, in the 

 neighbourhood of Taganrok, was found the head of a castor, 

 apparently of a lost species. M. Fischer, indeed, attributed it 

 to a lost genus, which he named Trongotherium. 



The teeth and all the forms of this head possess the characters 

 of the castor, but the head is about a fifth larger than our 

 European castors, which exceed the American in size. In the 

 whole order rodentia no animal has a larger head, except the 

 cabia. Another head was found near the lake RostofF, infe- 

 rior in length, incontestably belonging to a castor, and fully 



