250 FOSSIL REPTILES. 



the reptiles in particular are considerably anterior to the mam- 

 malia. 



We have seen before, that the fossil mammifera of the 

 genera most known, appear to be those which perished only 

 at the latest revolution of this globe ; that their debris fill the 

 most superficial strata; that many of them have even preserved 

 some of their soft parts, and that some have been even found 

 entire, having been seized by the ice at the moment of their 

 destruction, and not disengaged from it after. If we ascend 

 higher in the series of ages, or, in other words, if we penetrate 

 more deeply into the strata, we discover mammalia of genera 

 less known, or that have for ever ceased to exist; such as the 

 palseotheria, the anoplotheria, and the lophiodonta. They 

 appertain to stony strata, formed, it is true, by the fresh water, 

 but which cover others equally stony, and of an origin evi- 

 dently marine. With these singular beings are also found a 

 few species of existing genera, but their number is small, and 

 it is quite clear that they by no means formed the character 

 of the animal population of those remote ages. 



Again, earlier than these we find only marine mammalia, 

 dolphins, phocse, lamantins, and other remains of similar genera. 

 Beyond these, there are no further vestiges of mammalia, or, 

 at all events, there are none whose origin is not more than 

 doubtful. The antracotheria of the lignites, and the other 

 mammalia there, nor those of the schists of CEningen, form 

 any exception to this, for the position of these strata is not 

 well ascertained, and the Baron does not think that these 

 schists, and many strata of lignites, are of such antiquity as is 

 commonly supposed. 



In any case, the strata which are regarded as the most 

 ancient of the tertiary, must be the first which would have 

 enveloped the remains of mammalia ; and supposing what is 

 said of the small number of places presenting debris of this 

 class to be correct, it would only oblige us to admit of an 

 additional revolution — that is to say, of the existence of some 



