Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-01-05

may 0oHliilti IL ~ pleasant fCnectl0l
that his opportunities of vexing the pub
lie patience are rapidly ending. Had h
been removed from Office when be wa
impeached he would have retired with
certain air of meek dignity as a martyr
and have enjoyed a kind Of active hole
upon vague sympathy. But he will nov
leave his office not only to the satisfaction
of all loyal citizens, but with the meritet
contempt Of all honest men.
----------s.s.p-
A HUsR ANIMAL. In the city Of Cam
bridge, three miles from Boston, isa Muse
UNI of Comparative Zoology. Here are
collected curiosities from all parts Of the
earth. Rocks, fossils, shells, skeletons
and various other samples of different ages
and climes, are here brought together fol
the benefit of those who cannot travel the
world over to see its wonders. Many BOYS
and girls visit this place, yet thousands
there are who cannot even see these, but
who, sitting by their home fires, can read
of what others have seen, and to them we
send a description Of the Megatherium
Cuvieri.
"What name p some young readers
may exolaim, "Megatherium Cuvieri
How hard !"
Well, the name is not larger than the
Of the tail is eighteen feet Just think !!
Take three tall men and place them with
the feet Of one against the head Of another
and you have the length of this huge ami
NAL! 1t is higher than an elephant, and
its legs are colossal Eeach leg, when
covered with flesh and skin, must have
been larger than the body Of man. Prof
Dana says, "lts massy limbs are more
like columns for support than organs OF
motion" and 4we stand looking at them
we realize the force of his remark, fol
such legs never move rapidly. A ium'
bering gait such animal must have had,
and well it was, for if he could have moy'
ed swiftly, all small animals must have
been trodden under his immense feet,
At first we think he has four feetj but
upon closer examination, the two front
ones prove to be hands. The fingers arc
six inches from joint to joint, and the nails
which resemble claws, are four or five in
ches in length, and from the wrist to tht
elbow is three feet The hind feet have
heels and toes like the human foot, ano
are nearly a yard in length.
The tail is a curiosity. II consists
of immense bones firmly locked together
and the column thus formed is triangular
in from. Where it joins the huge body
it is foot in diameter, but tapers, and a
the end is small bone. The tail mus
have been as stout as the legs, and whel
great unwiedly Megatherium wished tt
raise his head to grasp the limbs OF tree
which served as his food, lie lifted hi
head, then his fore feet or arms, seize'
the tree with his claws, and then, tipping
back his body, which was larger than
hogshead, and twice as long, he reste'
his immense weight on his tail, which
with his hind legs, formed q tripod o
which the heavy body could be supported
while, with his mouth, he stripped tn
trees above him of their foliage. Iii
four ribs are from three to four feet /
length, and three inches ia width.
We can imagine this slow monster, rai'
ing his head eighteen feet, cropping til
limbs of the trees, and then kneeling o
his fore-arms, drinking from some streal
near by. His mouth is narrow and lons
, When man came upon the earth, animi
! life became less in size, more campac
) and more perfect. The earth assumed
} new appearance, and the giant quadrupet
which had traversed its ssurface, either d,
: cayed altogether, or were buried beneat
the soil to fossilize and await the exarhil
$ alton Of the coming ages, when the ne
d creation, man, should walk the cart
t These fragments Of the past, our natura
/. lists grther as silent witness Of the histol