Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-10-01
THE AIRTURIE uu4rE

EpTNDuRGH, AugustI H. No circniusance has occ,r
REQ o iaSy years so highly Interesting IN natural his
Tory rs The discovery o the skeleton sf The whale
was i0nnd tue other day at Airhrir. This oiganiir
ANIMAL WHICH must have bren one Of the largest of ,
trhs, was turied III the soft mud Of The Forth aud
covered over with thin coating of mossy soil when h,
means et draining, and other agricultural
no" VI the process OF being converted into valuable,
arabie hnd TVS 10 this Improvement we are indebted
for tue discovery Of The skeleton as was m eeu.n
anncn tiditbe "orkinen of Sit r. Abrrcronbie dscoy
eIed Tue bones ne deposition Of so large body Wnud
have led us TO expect tba, some sIish p1nm1ersrcs
would have marked The spot where it was laid Jhis
was not the case. however an uniform nat surC,r
extended all around and ever its grave was
Dj an "ndnaton at all time that almighty eyeller has
completely worn ii out. so
Since the discovery Of the mauu,ott h,rs, ON ,to
ONO We Know OF nothing in natural history al all 10
compare WIN this and to us ii is more inter
esn2, as II proves that animal the species of
we presume we are si unacquaiuted viii lived In =
situation which conlG not Save been accessible TO il al
any period since The commencement flbeCbrisgn era
sI's.,"h NHt't u al was within very short
aisiance OF Drnmyat that hill which forms So prominent
eh'hTe ~ the Ia udscape rs viewed from neen street
spoul sun SET VS. about mile from the fOTtb and
t'iat many miles above The poi:,t M which II brco,gs
uHh nuted IN ITS nearest nrghhOThood the RI yer -
30 "oaho" rs 70 ne todabIe at low waller and 10 Tins
circumstance the direction Of Roman road is 10 he
attributed which crossed the river at this spot and was
protected by camp or fortress which was .s;ab.lsd
on Tie naftl ami Of The Forth These well Known CIR
cuhstahCes ave valuable data upon this occasion "a
they afford iHdsputabie proof OF The Forth ba,r,
vowed ut That time n the same channel IL does now
and also that The banks Of have nren OF s,tid
Conscience they would attempt 10 lead road rro
I"d PdIt OF TIE country, or establish fortress IN the
WldstoI asWHnp. This consolidation know In he a
process ettins and, ~ period when the Industry or
ingenuity OF mankind had not yet suggested The advan
ege o dainnE may readily believe the Romans
Iohnd them, IN respect 10 rnness, much in the same
state they now are consequently II Is to some period
much beyond that Of history 10 which the mind must
wander IN the vain pursuit Of forming conjecture as
70 1e ins Wbeu the base OF the OCbi Hills washed
by heiide and accessible 10 the nroads this monarch
Of the ocean. The discovery Of this skeleton sets All
question upon the fact beyond Doubt Tbe finding Of
Anew oyster shells IN this Kind Of mud, Circumstance
oyeIy common occurrence, afforded rsoIn for specnla
non, bu new no question be entertained IS t. the
fact NJ the bayiUg covered the whole Of this distf
long alter The creation of living animals.
el'arn that some single bones Of the same species
nave been occasionally found IN the district II the
Carse Of FaErk and hope 20 have more ipfor,natr
on the subject shortly meantime may observe thai
me Only other skeleton Of the whale tribe found under
fmlaT circumstances, that know Of, is one which
was discovered ~ the aluvis soil OF PO at Csstet Ar
qad,o, near Piacenno, vhOTe The remains o. whales