20 THE MISSOURIUM. 
shows indisputable marks that he was possessed in a high 
degree of all these characteristics. 
Verse 12th—‘T will not conceal his parts, nor his power, 
nor his comely proportions.” This alludes to the circumstance 
that the animal was not altogether of an aquatic nature, but 
visited occasionally the land; therefore none of his parts or 
comely proporions were concealed, as would have been the 
case had he been entirely aquatic, for then his form would 
have been more or less hidden by the surrounding fluid. 
The 13th and 14th verse—‘‘ Who can discover the face of his 
garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? Who 
can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round 
about.” The first sentence again has reference to his shield or 
covering. Doubtless no one could approach him without in- 
curring imminent danger—not even near enough to discover 
the face of his garment; or, in other words, to examine the 
construction and particular parts of his covering. The latter 
part of the 13th, and the whole of the 14th verse, take parti- 
cular notice of his enormous grinders and immense tusks, more 
especially to the situation which these latter occupy in the skull. 
Reference is also made to the manner of catching wild animals 
by means of the lasso, or double bridle, as practised in the east, 
and of the futileness of an attempt to capture the animal in this 
way. From this circumstance I am satisfied that this could 
have’ been no other animal, either fossil or living, heretofore 
discovered, than the Missourium; and whoever will for one 
moment examine the head, must be struck with the remark- 
able similitude already noticed: the tusks coming out of the 
head until they arrive at a parallel with the nose, then turning 
suddenly back and forming a semicircle around the head, (like 
a shield, to prevent any thing from approaching it,) and mea- 
suring from point to point, in a straight line over the head, 15 
feet. It can be seen at once how utterly futile would be any 
attempt to cast a bridle over him, even allowing the animal to 
be perfectly gentle. And again, in said verse, the peculiar po- 
sition of these tusks isremarked: ‘‘ His teeth are terrible round 
about.” Tusks are ever considered as teeth, which they are. 
In the 22nd verse—* In his neck remaineth strength,” &c. 
The structure of the neck of the Missourium exhibits an 
