1838.] 



Asiatic Society of Bengal 



249 



of fish, with which shells of fresh-water genera are associated, the 

 whole being entombed in a formation of sandstone, conglomerate 

 marl, and clay, in inclined stratification, composing a range of hills, 

 called the Siwalik, between the rivers Sutledge and Ganges. These 

 hills rise to the height of from 500 to 1,000 feet above the adjacent 

 plains, some of the loftiest peaks being 3,000 feet above the level of 

 the sea. 



« When Captain Cautley and Dr. Falconer first discovered these 

 remarkable remains their curiosity was awakened, and they felt con- 

 vinced of their great scientific value ; but they were not versed in 

 fossil osteology, and being stationed on the remote confines of our 

 Indian possessions, they were far distant from any living authorities 

 or books on comparative anatomy to which they could refer. The 

 manner in which they overcame these disadvantages, and the enthu- 

 siasm with which they continued for years to prosecute their researches 

 when thus isolated from the scientific world is truly admirable. Dr. 

 Royle has permitted me to read a part of their correspondence with him 

 when they were exploring the Siwalik mountains, and 1 can bear 

 witness to their extraordinary energy and perseverance. From time 

 to time they earnestly requested that Cuvier's works on osteology 

 might be sent out to them, and expressed their disappointment when, 

 from various accidents, these volumes failed to arrive. The delay 

 perhaps was fortunate, for being thrown entirely upon their own re- 

 sources, they soon found a museum of comparative anatomy in the 

 surrounding plains, hills, and jungles, where they slew the wild tigers, 

 buffaloes, antelopes, and other Indian quadrupeds, of which they pre- 

 served the skeletons, besides obtaining specimens of all the genera 

 of reptiles which inhabited that region. They were compelled to see 

 and think for themselves while comparing and discriminating the 

 diff'erent recent and fossil bones, and reasoning on the laws of com- 

 parative osteology, till at length they were fully prepared to appre- 

 ciate the lessons which they were taught by the works of Cuvier. 

 In the course of their labours they have ascertained the existence of 

 the elephant, mastodon, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, ox, buffalo, elk, 

 antelope, deer, and other herbivorous genera, besides several canine 

 and feline carnivora. On some of these Dr. Falconer and Captain 

 Cautley have each written separate and independent memoirs. 

 Captain Cautley, for example, is the author of an article in the Journal 

 of the Asiatic Society, in which he shows that two of the species of 

 mastodon described by Mr. Clift are, in fact, one, the supposed difference 

 in character having been drawn from the teeth of the young and aduU 



