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Gavial, it narrowing gradually to form the muzzle. From these two 
circumstances, and from the long oval marks of the eyes, it would 
seem to resemble the head of the smaller, whilst its size is nearly that 
of the larger Gavial. From the figure given by M. Faujas, of the 
head at Darmstadt, it appears to differ from that of either of the 
Gavials ; since the symphisis of the lower jaw does not extend so 
much backwards, and there are seven or eight teeth in the separated 
parts of each branch of the jaw ; whilst, in this part of the jaw, in 
the Gavials, there are only two or three teeth. 
Some have imagined these fossils to have been the remains of a 
dolphin ; but that this is not the fact is evinced by the nostrils, 
which, instead of passing in vertically, at the root of the muzzle, are 
disposed at its end, and open into a double nasal canal, reaching even 
beneath the skull. It is evident, that there can exist no reason for 
supposing that these remains can be referred to any kind of fish ; and 
that they have belonged to some animal of the crocodile kind is cer- 
tainly the most reasonable conjecture. 
Part of the head of a crocodile has also been found in a mountain 
near to Rozzo, on the borders of Vicentin and of Tyrol, the lower 
jaw of which is twenty-five inches and a half long, and eight inches 
wide. Its matrix is a limestone of a yellowish red colour. V njage 
en Tyrol, par M. le Comte di Sternberg. This fossil has also been 
referred to the Gavial by M. Faujas ; but, as is observed by M. Cuvier, 
it differs from it in the posterior part of the jaw not being in a straight 
line with the anterior part, where it is united by the symphisis, but 
forming an angle, by which the branch of one side becomes sepa- 
rated from that of the other side : a character which sufficiently 
shows, that this cannot have been the remains of an actual Gavial. 
M. Cuvier is of opinion, that these fossils, as well as those of Altorf, 
are the remains of an unknown species of the crocodile, and similar 
to those which will form the subject of our next letter. 
