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among the insectivorous animals generally, and this we shall see con- 
firmed by its teeth. But the hedgehog, the shrew, the mole, the di- 
delphis, and some of the bats, have their condyles placed in a similar 
manner. 
The great height and width of the coronoidal apophysis referred 
these remains more particularly to the subgenus or species Sarigue. 
The mole has it as wide, but it is lower, and placed in a different di- 
rection : Did. murina has it of the same proportions as to width, 
but the height is a little less. In this last circumstance it seemed to 
approach nearest to the hedgehog. 
The sharp projection at the angle of the jaw also agreed with that of 
the hedgehog. In that of didelphis there is a particular circumstance : 
this projection bends inwards, with all the inferior edge of this part 
of the jaw ; and by carefully removing the surrounding stone, M. 
Cuvier discovered this characteristic peculiarity in this fossil jaw. 
The examination of the teeth confirmed that which was taught by 
the appearances of the jaw, since they possessed the general charac- 
ters of the teeth of insectivorous animals, characters absolutely proper 
to the pedimanes, and, above all, to the sarigues. They were beset 
with pointed tubercles, and not with cutting edges, nor a flat crown. 
After carefully comparing the teeth of the fossil jaw with those of 
the other pedimanes, he concluded that they agreed with those of the 
dasyure, those animals of New Holland of the genus Didelphis, with 
a tail furnished with long hair, and not prehensile, and with the 
common sarigue of America : but to which of these animals they ap- 
proached the nearest he was unable to determine. 
Examining the other parts of these fossil remains, he found, that 
their numbers, forms, and proportions, fully agreed with those of the 
pedimanes. Thus he found thirteen ribs, and thirteen dorsal vertebra ; 
six very long lumbar vertebra, filling the space of six of the dorsal ; 
the sacral vertebra, and those of the beginning of the tail, possessing 
very large transverse apophyses ; the radius and ulna very distinct, 
