10 Rkinoceroides Alleghaniensis, 



their travels without us, we are not without hopes that some of 

 them will kindly say of us, that we were a useful and pleasant 

 travelling companion. Editor. 



RHINOCEROIDES ALLEGHANIENSIS. 



Extract of a letter addressed to the Rev. Dr. Buckland, Oxford, containing a de- 

 scription of a fossil fragment of the jaw of an extinct animal, forming a new 

 genus of the order Pachydermata, and provisionally named jRAinoceroicZes Alle- 

 ghaniensis. — Vide Plate I. 



" In a former communication to Roderick J. Murchison, Esq., 

 which was read before the Geological Society, the 2d January, 

 1829, I observed, that no trace of the Rhinoceros had been yet 

 discovered on this continent. 



" About fourteen months ago, I was so fortunate as to come into 

 the possession* of a fossil having some very peculiar characters. 

 I communicated to some friends at the time, that I had strong 

 grounds to believe in the ancient existence here, of an animal ap- 

 proximating to the genus Rhinoceros. The anomalous character 

 of this fossil, which consists of part of a jaw and two teeth, in fine 

 preservation, made me hesitate about the publication of it. After 

 much deliberation, I have at this time great confidence that there 

 is no fallacy to be apprehended, and therefore I transmit a very 

 excellent cast of the fossil to you, requesting you to present it, to- 

 gether with this communication, to the Geological Society, in my 

 name. The cast being a composition of wax and lime, has shrunk 

 in length half an inch, and otherwise in proportion. I shall, as 

 soon as it is finished, transmit an engraving of the fossil, having 

 the proper proportions. 



" The mineral composition of this fragment, gives it a very 

 anomalous character, and is a circumstance entitled to the par- 

 ticular consideration of geologists. There is nothing of the nature 

 of bone about it, except the form : the whole substance, the teeth 

 included, being constituted of an aggregate of small quartzose 

 particles ; and presenting the appearance, not of a gradual sub- 

 stitution by mineral infiltration, to osseous matter, but of a cast of 

 part of a jaw and teeth, formed of small quartzose grit, and giv- 



*By the kindness of my friend Benjamin Wright, Esq. He received it from 

 Robert Fulton, Esq., who has obligingly furnished me the details of the locality 

 where he obtained it. 



