1835.] banks of the Jamna River. 503 



upon the sand, in others half huried ia it, with their upper portions projecting 

 naked, and exposed to the air. They appeared to have been left in this condition, 

 in consequence of the matrix of sand and gravel that once covered them, under- 

 going daily removal by the agency of winds and rains ; and they would speedily 

 have fallen to pieces under this exposure to atmospheric action, had they not 

 been protected by the mineralization they have undergone. On examining many 

 of the ravines that intersect this part of the country, and which were at this 

 time dry, the same silicified wood was found projecting from the sand banks, and 

 ready to drop into the streams ; from the bottom of which, the travellers took 

 many fragments, that had so fallen during the gradual wearing of the bank, and 

 lay rolled and exposed to friction by the passing waters. These circumstances 

 shew that the ordinary effect of existing rains and torrents is only to expose and 

 lay bare these organic remains, and wash them out from the matrix to which 

 some other and more powerful agency must have introduced them." 



I must now briefly advert to the specimens which I have selected to 

 form the subjects of the annexed plate. — The space is far too limited to 

 embrace Mr. Dean's collection, much less the extensive additions 

 received from Capt. E. Smith, at Allahabad, since I engraved my 

 former plate (Vol. II. pi. 25), of Jamna fossils. I have therefore pru- 

 dently confined myself to distinguishing specimens, particularly teeth, 

 which, besides their value as the best types of the animal, are, from 

 their compact size, and hard quality, generally better preserved than 

 ordinary bones. 



The teeth, with Dr. Pearson's assistance I have been able to 

 identify; whereas without a complete Osteological Museum of exist- 

 ing animals (a desideratum we may hope, under his exertions, ere 

 long to possess,) — it would be hazardous and a loss of time to attempt 

 to classify the generality of mere mutilated fragments of bones. The 

 great advantage of such a museum over even the best executed plates, 

 was made most obvious in the course of the present examination : such 

 of the teeth, as could be placed by the side of the actual teeth of Mr. 

 Pearson's private cabinet, were at once referred to their correct 

 position in the jaw of the animal to which they belonged. 



The drawings of all the specimens in the Plate are of half the true 

 lineal dimensions. 



Omitting the fragments of elephants' teeth, (Nos. 8 and 9,) as being 

 much the same as those already familiar to us from former plates, 

 I have commenced with the most important and curious of the present 

 series, figs. 1 and 2. The former, which was supposed by Mr. Dean 

 to belong to the genus Tapir, proved to be the last molar but one 

 on the right side upper jaw of the fossil hippopotamus , agreeing pre- 

 cisely with the drawing in pi. i. vol. I. fig. 3, of Cuvier's ossemens fos- 

 siles. This beautiful specimen is, to use the illustrious author's 

 words, " precisement dans l'etat de detrition on elle est le plus 

 3 t 2 



