FOSSIL MAMMALIA. 



BY MR. OWEN. 



It may be expected that the description of the osseous remains of extinct Mam- 

 malia, which rank amongst the most interesting results of Mr. Darwin's re- 

 searches in South America, should be preceded by some account of the fossil 

 mammiferous animals which have been previously discovered in that Coutinent. 

 The results of such a retrospect are, however, necessarily comprised in a very 

 brief statement ; for the South American relics of extinct Mammalia, hitherto 

 described, are limited, so far as I know, to three species of Mastodon, and the 

 gigantic Megatherium. 



One of the above species of Mastodon (Mast. Cor diller arum) was established 

 by Cuvier* on remains discovered by Humboldt, in Quito, near the volcanic 

 mountain, called Imbaburra, at an elevation of 1200 toises above the level of the 

 sea ; and likewise at the Cordilleras of Chiquitos, near Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 

 a locality which is near the centre of South America. A second species (Masto- 

 don Humboldtii, Cuv.f ) is indicated by molar teeth, stated to have been discovered 

 by the same philosophic traveller, in Chile, near the city of Concepcion. The 

 third species of Mastodon appears to have once ranged in vast troops over the wide 

 empire of Peru : numerous teeth were brought thence to Paris by Dombey,J and 

 similar teeth, together with a humerus and tibia from Santa Fe de Bogota were 

 placed by Humboldt at the disposal of Cuvier,^ who considered them to belong to the 



* See Ossemens Fossiles, Ed. iv. torn. ii. p. 368. PI. 27. fig 1. 12. 



t Ibid. p. 370. PI. 27. fig. 5. % Ibid. p. 347, 367. § Ibid. p. 337. PI. 26. fig. 7. 



