144 FOSSIL REMAINS OF THE HORSE. 
a cause that affects equally the human and the brute species. 
As an animal acquires fat, which is deposited on internal and 
external structural regions, the natural capacity of the chest 
is lessened by the enlargement of the contents and parietes 
of the abdomen : this from being expanded in all directions, 
the pressure upwards leaves less space for the play of the 
lungs, and in consequence the blood which they receive is 
imperfectly acted upon by the inspired air. To whatever 
extent this circumstance operates, and it is clearly a cause 
capable of exercising considerable influence, it will diminish 
the reception of oxygen and the escape of carbon : it will 
certainly not allow the former to produce those changes in 
the blood essential to a vigorous state of health ; but, on 
the contrary, create a disposition to the growth of the adi- 
pose tissue.— Di\ Holland's i Animal Creation »’ 
FOSSIL REMAINS OF THE HORSE. 
The Charleston c Mercury 5 of the 14th instant, contains 
the following paragraph : 
It is well known to our readers that Professor Holmes, 
of the College of Charleston, has been for many years en- 
gaged in exploring the fossil beds of Ashley river. A large 
number of interesting relics have been collected, and the 
savans of Europe and America have expressed their great 
satisfaction at the results of these explorations. Professor 
Agassiz, in a lecture some time since, just after a visit to the 
Ashley, with Professor H., said, “ it was the greatest deposi- 
tory of fossil remains he had ever seen.’ 5 Professor Tuomey 
called it “ the great shark sepulchre of America ;’ 5 and now 
Professor Leidy, the distinguished American anatomist, has 
prepared a valuable paper on the remains of the horse and 
other animals, found fossilized on the Ashley, which had been 
placed in his hands for examination by Professor Holmes ; 
and it will appear, from the short extract we make, that the 
investigations now being made in this department of natural 
science of developing some curious things. Professor Leidy 
writes : “ In regard to the remains of the horse, from the 
facts stated in the account given of them in the succeeding 
pages, I think it will be conceded that this animal inhabited 
the United States during the post-pleiocene period, contem- 
porarily with the mastodon, megalonyx, and the great broad- 
fronted bison. 55 — New York Spirit of the Times . 
