34 



Croizet and Jobert's " Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles 

 du department du Puy-de-Dome" published in 1828, contained 

 valuable results in regard to fossil mammals. Geoffroy St. 

 Hilaire's researches on fossil Reptiles, published in 1831, were 

 an important advance. De Serres and De Christol's explora- 

 tions in the caverns in the South of France, published between 

 1829 and 1 839, were of much value. Schmerling's researches in 

 the caverns of Belgium, published in 1833-36, were especially 

 important on account of the discovery of human remains min- 

 gled with those of extinct animals. Deslongchamp's memoirs 

 on fossil reptiles, 1835, are still of great interest. Pictet's 

 general treatise on palaeontology was a valuable addition to 

 the literature, and has done much to encourage the study of 

 fossils.* DeBlainville, in his grand work, " Osteographie" 

 issued in 1839-56, brought together the remains of living and 

 extinct vertebrates, forming a series of the greatest value for 

 study. Aymard and Pomel's contributions to vertebrate Palae- 

 ontology are both of value. Gervais and Lartet added much 

 to our knowledge of the subject, and Bravard and Hubert's 

 memoirs are well known. 



The brilliant discoveries of Cuvier in the Paris Basin, 

 excited great interest in England, and when it was found that 

 the same Tertiary strata existed in the south of England, care- 

 ful search was made for vertebrate fossils. Remains of some 

 of the same genera described by Cuvier were soon discovered, 

 and other extinct animals new to science were found in 

 various parts of the kingdom. Konig, to whom we owe the 

 name Ichthyosaurus, and Conybeare, who gave the generic 

 designation Plesiosaurus, and also Mosasatirus, were among 

 the earliest writers in England on fossil reptiles. The discov- 

 ery of these three extinct types, and the discussion as to their 

 nature, forms a most interesting chajrter in the annals of 

 Palaeontology. The discovery of the Iguanodon, by Mantell, 

 and the Megalosaurus, by Buckland, excited still higher 



*" Traite elementaire de paleontologie," etc., Geneve. 4 vols. 1844-46. Second 

 Edition. Paris, 1853-55. 



