The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-06-26

L HE AhA OT I'M
county of Washington, Alabama, not lar
rom Mobile, the fossil remains of a monster
the animal creation have been discovered
by DR.. Albert G. Koch. We find an ac-
count of it in DR.. KS words in the Mobile
Daily Advertiser; it has been called by him
Zeulodon SiHimanii, in honor Of Professor
Silliman, of Yale College. Here follows a
description ofthe monster:
l have succeeded in bringing to light the
very nearly complete skeleton of a most co..
lossal and terrible reptile, that may be Justly
termed the king of the kings of reptiles. lis
length is one hundred and four feet-the So
lid portions of the vertebra are from Ia to Is
inches in length, and from s to IL inches in
diameter, each averaging rs pounds in
weight. Its greatly elongated jaws are arm
ed with not less than forty incisor or cutting
teeth, four canine teeth or fangs, and eight
molars or grinders. These teeth all fit into
each other when the jaws are closed, and it .
is clear that the animal was of the carniVor-
Gus nature. The eyes were evidently large,
and were prominently situated on the fore
head, giving the animal the power of keep
ing a constant and vigorous watch for lis
prey. The body had members attached re-
sembling paddles or fins, which in proportion
TO the size of the animal were small, and
were doubtless intended TO propel the body
of this, enormous creature through the wa
tiers of those large rivers or seas, which it in
habited or frequented. Each of these pad
dies or fins is composed of 81 bones, which
form, in union, Sc ven freely articHlatiHg joints.
The ribs are of a very peculiar shape and ex-
ceedingly numerous. They are three times
the thickness at the lower that they are at
the superior extremity.
The following, in explanation of the a.
bove, has been handed US by a member of
the Medical fraternity of this place:
DR.. CAsTLEBURY is of opinion that these
Fossil bones of the Zeulodon Sillimanii do
not belong 10 a new genus of reptiles; but
that they are probably the Fossil remains of
a gigantic Iguanodon. The Fossil bones of
this enormous extinct reptile have never been
found in America; nor has a perfect skele-
ton ever been discovered any where. The
teeth of this Animal, the most Characteristic
feature by which all animals are distinguished
show it 10 have been herbiyorous; bat they
correspond in number, structure, and relative
adaptation 10 each other, with those of the
Zeulodon.
The.teeth and bones Of the Iguanodon are
so precisely similar in the principle of their
construction, to those of the modern %Iguana;
as to leave no doubt of the near connection
of this most gigantic extinct reptile with the
:. Iguanas of our own time. From a careful
comparison of the bones of the Lguanodon
with those of the Iguanas, made by taking an
average from the proportions of different
bones, from eight separate parts of the res
pectiYe skeletons, Mr.. Mantell has inferred,
E like the immortal Culver, so often and SO ac-
1cnrafelu did haEara-hina ia-recpcet to other
, Fossil bones, shat the length of the Iguano-
don was about one hundred feet, this is with
in four feet of the exact length ofDr. Koch's
, skeleton. The form Of the bones Of the feet
! and legs of the lguanodon shows that this
animal was constructed 10 move on land and
from the Dr's. remarks we would infer, that
he supposed The Zeulodon adapted 10 walk
or move on land; for, says he, .the body had
members attached resembling fins, which in
' proportion TO the size of the animal, were
small aud were doubtless intended TO propel
!, the DO dy of this enormous animal through
the seas or rivers which it inhabited or fire.
/, quented.
1t is quite improbable that an animal Off
height and length so imm ense as that of the
Zeulodon could move itself upon land with
out the assistance of feeI and legs. IF then,
it was ampbibious, it corresponds likewise IN
habit with the Iguanodon; SO ;hatif it be not
the Fossil remains of the Iguanodon itself,
it agrees with that animal in so many impor-
tant particulars as TO lead us 10 suppose, the
Zeulodon at least belongs to the same ge-
nus. Whether it does or not, DR.. Koch has
achieved a brilliant discovery in Geological
Science.
The lguanodon has hitherto been found
only, with one exception, in The Wealden
fresh Water formation of the South of Eng
land, intermediate between the marine oolitic
deposits of Portland sand stone, and those of
the green-sand formation-in The c~etaceous
series.
The Gigantic Fossil remains of an enor-
nous extinct animal have been found in the
immediate vicinity Of this place, and a min
ute description of them and their locality
will soon be published.
THE PHILADELPHIA ACADEMY OF
FINE ARTS DESTROYED BY FIRE.
A little before midnioht of "Wednesday the