316 . The American Naturalist. : [April, 
Fossil Bones after Mons. Fremy. Annales de Physique et de 
Chimie, 1858, Vol. I, p. 88. 
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1. A fossil Ox from Caverns of d’Oreston: the meta- | 
near hias exterior = having the aspect KA wood........ 80.4] 71.1) 1.5 | 11.8 10.3 
2. The same—interio re ome friable............... O06 a6 bodied: ELS [ccs 11.0 
3. The baii 84.2 | 6.33| 1.2 | 5.2) 17.2 8.0 
4 h patay of e of fost Saineseros from Sansan, (Gers.)..| 834| 5.90 |.........| 41.3| 2.6 |traces 
83.1} 6.68 }......... | 27.5] 1.4 |traces 
A ot Bone of fossil Hyzna from Cavern of Kirk- | 
dale 75.5 | 72.0 Bi Aali 20.0 
7. Dorsal Vertebra of fossil Rhinoceros........-.....-..-..--. 69.5 | 25.7 .4 |} 57.6 „E 
8. Humerus of s: 73.0 | 32.4| 0.4 | 64.0 ʻi 
9. Teeth of same....... 90.4 | 65.2| 0.7 | 13.8 | 14. 
10. Tusk of the fossil Mastodon 90.4| 565| 0.7 | 13.1 | 24.8 
11. Bone of fossil Bear—solid part 83.9 | 59.7 4 | 23.6 i 
12. The same—spongy part............. 76.7 | 28.1 .2 | 67.5 | 14.0 
13. — Armadillo scales 80.7 | 55.0 A | 28.8 | 12.4 
14. Anoplotherium, fossil rteb f the tail 84.0 | 53.1 4 | 20.4| 19.4 
15. Vertebra of the fossil Turtle 87.0) 61.1 Ne | 10.6 | 18. cer 
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Observations.—The present composition of these fossil bones 
results both from their initial composition at the epoch when 
they belonged to the living animals, and the alterations inci- 
dent to the diverse influences of atmosphere, soil and water 
during a long’ series of centuries. Comparing the results of 
these analyses of different modern animal bones, results with 
but feeble divergencies, we are authorized to believe that it 
was the same in past time and that the initial composition of 
the bone was practically uniform. The influences which have 
operated upon the fossil bones since they were buried in sedi- 
mentary deposits have produced modifications which are more 
or less important and quite varied. The proportion of organic 
matter has always been much diminished; from 35 to 40, 
which seemed to be the original proportion, it has descended in 
the process of fossilization from 6 to 12 percent. These differ- 
ences testify at the same time to the permeability of the earth 
by air and water, of infiltration and to the degree of com- 
pactness or porosity of the different bones or to the different 
parts of the same bone. The modification in the organic mat- 
