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# 
ture nor air could get at them. Mr. Minors, an emi- 
nent Surgeon and Anatomift of theMiddlefex-hofpital, 
when he was in the Army, at Gibraltar, faw an 
intire fkeleton, Handing upright, in a dry rock, part 
of which had been blown up with gunpowder, in car- 
rying on lome works in the fortifications, which left 
the fkeleton quite expofed. Indeed, the bones of 
Elephants have been found in Shepey-Ifland, but 
much deftroyed, feveral of which I have in my Col- 
lection ; an account of which we have in the laft vo- 
lume but one * of our TranfaCtionsj their fize and 
fubftance being fo confiderable, as to refift for a long 
time that decay which thole of the human could not 
withfland. To thefe we may add the horns of large 
animals, as the elk, and others, which have been 
found in bogs, preferved as the bog-oak, &c. men- 
tioned. 
Teeth and Palates 0/ Fishes and ether Animals, 
Thefe are of fo hard and firm a texture, as to fuf- 
fer no great change, wherefoever found • for we fee, 
that no erolion appears in them, their enamel and its 
polilli being intirely preferved ; yet fometimes their 
roots will be found changed, efpecially in the yellow 
ones, having no enamel to guard them in their roots. 
Tarts (/Vegetables. 
The leaves of plants, whofe fibres are firm and dry, 
will endure for a long time ; but thole of a fucculent 
nature never can, as they putrify very foon. We fee 
the leaves of ferns of feveral kinds, polypodium, 
* Vol. xlviii. 
trico- 
