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the indefatigable Cuvier proceeded to a careful anatomical examination 
of these specimens, with the hope of furnishing some information 
respecting their origin. This undertaking he conceived to be more 
particularly necessary, since the splendid work of M. Faujas contains 
no really illustrative osteological remarks ; and since M. Faujas con- 
siders M. Adrian Camper as being of the same opinion with him, as 
to the agreement of this fossil animal with the crocodile ; whilst the 
animal to which the latter gentleman refers this fossil is essentially 
different from the crocodile, although placed by Linnaeus with it, 
under the genus Lacerta. 
To M. Adrian Camper we are indebted for the knowledge of the 
real characters of this enormous animal, known only at present as a 
fossil. By the observations of this gentleman, corroborated by those 
of M. Cuvier, which I shall now place before you, I trust you will be 
fully satisfied respecting the original nature of this wonderful animal. 
Dr. Peter Camper had been led to the conclusion, that this animal 
should be placed among the cetaceous animals ; 1st, from its being ac- 
companied by marine remains ; 2dly, from the bones being polished ; 
3dly, from the lower jaw having, externally, numerous openings for 
the passage of the nerves ; 4tlily, from the roots of the teeth being 
solid ; 5thly, from there being teeth on the palate ; Othly, from the 
vertebrae being without sutures ; and, /thly, from the phalanges and 
ribs being of a different form from those of the crocodile. 
All these circumstances, except the first, are allowed by M. Cuvier, 
to prove that this animal was not a crocodile ; but he does not admit that 
any of them prove its having been a whale ; since, in several reptiles, 
and particularly in the monitors and iguanas, the bones are polished, 
numerous openings exist in the lower jaw, the roots of the teeth are 
bony and sold, and the vertebrae are without suture. The fifth circum- 
stance proves also, that the animal could neither be a cetaceous animal, 
nor a crocodile, since none of these animals have teeth in the palate. 
Dr. Camper, whilst distinguishing this fossil animal from the cro- 
