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XXVI. Conjectures relative to the Petrifactions found in St, 
Peter’s Mountain , near Maeftricht. By Petrus Camper* 
M. D. F. R. &. 
Read July 6, 1786. 
T HE difcovery of a great number of petrified bones about 
the year 1770, in the mountain of St. Peter at Maef- 
tricht, and particularly of large jaw-bones with their teeth* 
fuggefted to the late M. Hoffman, firft Surgeon to the 
Military Hofpital at Maeftricht, a worthy member of feveral 
learned Societies, and a great admirer of natural hiftory, the idea 
that thefe maxillae belonged to crocodiles. This notion was fpread 
by himfelf and his literary correfpondents through all Europe* 
He did me the favour to fend me, not only the hiftory of 
tjiofe petrifactions, but alfo feveral figures of the jaw-bones in 
queftioii, and of other bones, which were allintirely new to me, 
except fome fragments of the bones of turtles. I difcovered, 
however, at the very firft fight, the charaCteriftical differences 
which diftinguifhed thefe bones from thofe of crocodiles, of 
which I had at that time feveral in my collection. 
His intention was to write upon this fubjeCt, and to fend his 
eflay, containing his reafons for fuppofing thefe bones to belong 
to crocodiles, to the Royal Society ; but I diffuaded him, as a 
friend, from doing this, left he fhould afterwards be under a 
neceflity of retracing his opinion : and I fent him a figure of 
Vql, LXXVL M m m the 
