and the Palceotherium in the Isle of Wight. 453 



species of that order *. This circumstance induced Cuvier (to whom a cast of 

 the specimen had been sent) to suppose it to belong to the genus Anoplo- 

 therium^ and he had named it Anoplotherium dichohunes ; but as it was not 

 possible to determine the structure of the fossil from an examination of the 

 cast, I was induced to compare the single tooth above mentioned, with the 

 specimens of the Paris Pachydermata preserved in the Museum of Natural 

 History, and also with the jaws and teeth of all the small Ruminants in the 

 same collection. This was done with the assistance of M. de Blainville, who, 

 after the most careful examination, acknowledged that it was impossible to 

 decide positively without having a more perfect jaw ; and he was induced to 

 leave the specimen amongst the Pachydermata, rather because Cuvier had so 

 placed it, than on account of any decisive character. The texture of the 

 tooth approaches, in my opinion, nearer to the Ruminants, while the general 

 form of the jaw gives it the character belonging to the Anoplotherium. It is 

 therefore very desirable to procure more perfect specimens, that this inter- 

 esting question should be determined, as it is a remarkable circumstance that 

 the teeth of two genera so very different should be so closely allied in form. 

 A species of deer is mentioned by Cuvier, as having been found in the fresh- 

 water limestone of Montebusard near Orleans, but it differs essentially from 

 the jaw described, which appears to have belonged to a full-grown animal, 

 from the muscular ridges being well pronounced, although the perfect and 

 little-worn appearance of the teeth seem to indicate that they had not been 

 much used. 



* The following observations were made by the author during a visit to Paris in 1833. 



VOL. III. SECOND SERIES. 3 N 



