Demoine courier., 1856-03-06
Extinct Animals.


there is no one thing which more de-
servedlv exci,es cur admiration than the
restoration of extinct animals. Various
writers. who may he said to have discoy-
cred the science of geology, had show n
that the strata of the earth were laid one
upon another, in a certain and regular
succession, and that each class rock, to
use tie good geological phrase, had its
own peculiar suit of exuvip, bu. this had
not supplied US with the true key with
which we unlocked the cabine, Of Nature
and called from her secret,reasury ,hoss
strange creatures which were produced
during the earih's childhood. Cuyier,
however, has supplied what was want
ing in this respect, and by a rigid appli-
cation OF comparative anatomy. has ena.
bled US TO perfec. our natural history by
introducing scores of animals of whose
existence our fathers knew nothing.
The construction OF an animal, how
eyer, when only a small portion of the
skeleton is discovered, is a mat,e of
great difficulty, and requires much scien-
tiic knowledge. This, nevertheless. may
be done, and in some cases a single bone
is enough to indicate the size and slruc-
lure of the animal 10 which il belonged.
Suppose, for instance, that the jaw bone
of an unknown species of ar animal were
found il is surprising how much may be
learned from it. The teeth will sho W
whether the animal was carnivetous or
herbivorous; then if the teeth were made
for tearing flesh, SO 4he claws must be
made 10 lay hold of IT., then, again, the
paws require strong muscles in The fore
arm, and a corresponding structure o:
The shoulder. and in this way the geuer-
al structure Of the creation may be defer
mined. We may also descend 10 some
minu,iG. for the digestive organs mus.
have . similar relation TO the parts be-
fore mentioned, and may therefore be
inferred from the jaw-bone.
Professor Aus.ed has enabled US TO
recall the volite period in geology with
great precision, for England was then a
fine country, although there were no men
IN il. Let us suppose ourselves, then,
upon the south coast near the Isle oil
Wight, and we shall find ourselves upon
a promonlory stretching into the sea-
Behind us there is a country covered
with brushwood, and the distant Hill.
are clothed with lofty pine The inleri
or is decked with a forest of magnif ,en,
trees. and the most beautiful flowers
bloom on thousands Of shrubs. Addet
to This, the whole place teens with life
Looking into the sea, we shall perceive
a huge monster liz, its head out Of tn,
water to breathe tbs air. Ii is The mos
fearful and terrible of all the ~inhabitant,
of The deep. Its jaws are twenty fee
long. and as il opens its mouth il is-ap
palling TO think what an engine Of des
truciion il must be, and what q humble
OF living creatures mus. be devoured dai
ly 10 support a carcass nearly one hun
dred feet long and equal in bulk to tw
hundred fat oxen! He is armed witt
two large fins, with powerful claws a
the end of them, and will grasp the enor
nous sharks Astounding in the sea, an
ucSOuI tucu iusbduiy. ouCu was Va
CetiOsaurus. the largest marine rep,il
with which we are acquainted.
But. fierce and destructive az this cres
,ure is, his companion. the Ic,hysauru.
is much more SO. This is an ali. breath
ing reptile. upwards Of thirty fee, Ions
II was covered, like the crocodile. Il
eyes were very large, being eigh,ee
inches across, and adapted to all lights
Night, and deep and shallow water wei
all The sane, and the open air and dee
ocean were alike transparent to il.
moved with difficulty on land, bu. swal
with ease snd swif,ness in the waite
whilst it's large and vertical tail made
strange mixture Of the fish, reptile an
whale. FFaET TGrTftA5
: But. willis. looking upon the sea. v
3 must not forget the animate that are
7 round US on the land; for there are mo
I s!ers on land as strange and fearful
. any thai inhabit the deep. Indeed. tn
: seems to be the age of monsters; al
there are around US reptiles IS terrible