[ 38 1 
Majefty’s fecretaries of ftate. I waited upon Dr. 
Franklin, with fome other friends, and found the 
bones to be exadfly fuch as I had feenj and was, 
therefore, confirmed in my former opinion. 
Then I waited upon Lord Shelburne, and was per- 
mitted to examine the bones which he had received. 
Befides the tufks and grinders, which were all fuch as 
I had feen, and ftill ferved to confirm me in my opi- 
nion, there was the half of the lower jaw of the animal, 
with one large grinder ftill fixed in it. This jaw- 
bone was fo different from that of an elephant, both 
in form and in fize, and correfponded fo exadfly with 
the other bones, and with my fuppofition, that I 
was now fully convinced, that the fuppofed American 
elephant was an animal of another fpecies, a pfeud- 
elephant , or animal incognitum , which naturalilis were 
unacquainted with. 1 imagined farther, that this 
animal incognitum would prove to be the fuppofed 
elephant of Siberia, and other parts of Europe ; and 
that the real elephant would be found to have been 
in all ages a native of Afia and Africa only. 
The Earl of Shelburne, from his love of natural 
knowledge, (hewed a defire that the enquiry might 
be carried on ; and did me the honour to offer his af- 
fiffance in tranfmitting orders to America, for pro- 
curing farther information about this matter. In con- 
fequence of this generous offer, I propofed that his 
lordfhip fhould fend the following quell ions and orders, 
to any perfon in America, whom his lordlhip might 
'think the beff: qualified for condudting fuch bufineis. 
✓ 
Queries 
