CAUSES OF PRESERVATION. 165 



the distinguished geologist, having lately visited a great number of fossil 

 deposits in various parts of North America, and being able to bring to this 

 subject a vast amount of geological and palasontological science, must be 

 ■well qualified to throw light upon this interesting inquiry. So far as 

 he has expressed any opinion, it accords with that of many other excellent 

 palaeontologists, who are in favor of the theory, that the disappearance of 

 the Mastodon and many other megatheroid animals occurred at a period 

 not very long anterior to the introduction of man. After carefully investi- 

 gating the facts which might serve to elucidate this interesting research, 

 we find that the relative phenomena seem to support this doctrine. But 

 it would be rather derogatory to the powers of the Author of nature to 

 surmise, as some have done, that these large animals were struck from the 

 surface of the earth to make room for the existence of the human race. 



The cause of the disappearance of the Mastodon seems to be mysterious. 

 "We are naturally disposed to believe, that an animal of so large size, of so 

 great strength, and such extensive distribution in various parts of the earth, 

 must have required some great and general catastrophe to overwhelm and 



annihilate it. The mystery diminishes on noticing, that a great number of Disappear- 

 ance of 

 animals, scarcely less remarkable than the Mastodon, have also disappeared, other 



Among them are the Elephas Primigenius, the Sivatherium, the great 



Saurians, the Zeuglodon Cetoicles, &c. These, however, may be thought to 



have existed at a period so remote as to have been subject to other laws 



than those which now regulate the surface of our globe, and, of course, before 



the existence of man. Such a supposition may perhaps be admitted by 



some geologists, while others are of opinion that the causes now in constant 



operation are sufficient to explain the wonderful phenomena of Geology and 



Palaeontology. 



Animals. 



