every reason to suppose that he died where his remains were found, perhaps the nature of such a case could not admit of stronger evidence, that there happened a great and sudden change from heat to cold in that country, and that this took place at the time when this animal perished, or soon after.

If it is certain, that this animal could not have lived in a cold climate, and equally so that his body could not have been preserved more than a few days in a hot one, the conclusion is inevitable, that the climate must have changed at the time of his death, or immediately afterwards.

The opinion of Baron Cuvier, entirely coincides with what here seems to be proved. "Every hypothesis," says he, "of a gradual cooling of the earth, or a slow variation, in either the inclination or position of the axis of the globe, is inadmissible."

There are many reasons for believing that the animals whose remains are thus found, were destroyed at the time of the general deluge, and also that their bodies were not transported to any considerable distance by that catastrophe. Their bones are found on plains and the sides of valleys, where we should suppose their bodies would have been left by the retiring waters, and in many instances they have been found covered by sand or gravel, such as are considered diluvial deposites, and under such circumstances, as to make it improbable that any ordinary flood would have produced similar effects.

On reviewing the facts, and circumstances above stated, it is thought that we may fairly come to the following conclusions:

First, That the climate of Siberia was once simiiar to that of the tropics of the present day.

Second, That at the epoch of the deluge, the climate of Siberia suffered a sudden and material change in its temperature, and that it then became similar to what it is

now.

Third, That the deluge was the most probable cause of the destruction of several ancient races of quadrupeds, which inhabited that country, anterior to the flood, and among which, were the elephant, and rhinoceros, the bones of which still exist there. And,

Fourth, That the most probable cause of the sudden change of climate in Siberia, and of the decrease of the

superficial temperature of the earth generally, was the cold produced by the evaporation of the waters of the deluge.

Farther remarks on Change of Climate. Since the former edition of this work, considerable light has been thrown on the subject of organic remains as connected with "change of climate," by various writers; and from which it appears that some species of animals belonging to genera, usually considered tropical, have been found capable of sustaining much higher latitudes than was before supposed.

It will be remembered that in nearly every instance, the fossil bones of animals belonging to genera now living, were of species unknown to naturalists of the present day. It may therefore be inferred, that if it can be shown that there are elephants and tigers now living in cold latitudes, the fossil bones of these animals, found in Siberia and other northern regions, might have belonged to such species, and thus that the situation of these bones may be accounted for, without so great a change of climate as has heretofore been supposed.

It has recently been proved beyond all doubt, that a species of tiger identical with that of Bengal, is common in the vicinity of lake Aral in Independent Tartary, in latitude 450 north, and also, that this animal is often seen in Siberia as high as latitude 52°. Humboldt, who states these facts, remarks that the part of Asia now inhabited by this species of tiger, is separated from the Himmaleh, by two great chains of mountains, each covered by perpetual snow. These mountains are the Kuenlun in latitude 35°, and the Mouztagh in latitude 42°. So that it is impossible that these animals should merely have made excursions from India, and penetrated during the summer to 48° and 53° of latitude where they are found. In 1828, a tiger was killed on the bank of the Lena in Asiatic Russia, in latitude about 520, and in a climate colder than that of Petersburg, or Stockholm. We are not informed whether this tiger was covered with fur and long hair, or not, but it is stated in the Ehrenberg Journal of Natural Sciences, as quoted by Mr. Lyell, that a new species of panther, (Felis irbis,) has been discovered with long hair, in Siberia, evidently inhabiting, like the tiger, a region north of the Celestial Mountains, which are in latitude 42°.

In 1772, Professor Pallas obtained from the banks of the Wiljui, a tributary of the Lena, the remains of a rhinoceros, (R. tickorinus,) taken from the sand, where it must have remained frozen for ages. This carcass resembled a mummy, but emitted a smell like that of decaying, or putrefying flesh. The skin was covered with thick hair, which was of great length about the feet.

The elephant found preserved in ice in latitude 70°, an account of which will be found among that of other fossil quadrupeds in this work, was also covered with a warm coat, consisting of fur and hair. This animal, indeed, seems to have been as well protected from the cold, as is the Musk Ox, of the present day.

Bishop Heber, in his "Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India," informs us that in the range of the lower Himmaleh mountains, in latitude between 29° and 30o, he saw an Indian elephant of small size, covered with shaggy hair.

Mr. Everest says, (Journal of Asiatic Society,) that the wild elephant is found in the mountains north of Bengal, at the elevation of 4000 feet above the level of the sea, and in 31° north latitude. He also states that he had heard of a solitary instance of an elephant covered with shaggy hair at Delhi, but that he had never himself seen such a phenomenon. It would therefore seem that the individual seen by Bishop Heber must have been of an exceedingly rare species, or variety; since Mr. Everest being a resident in India, and a writer on the subject, would otherwise have obtained further information concerning it. Whatever the climate of Russia and Siberia might once have been, it is certain from the accounts of writers, that it was once inhabited by such vast herds of elephants, as to leave no parallel of the existence of such numbers any where at the present day. Tilesius states, that in northern Russia fossil tusks are so numerous, as in all probability to excel in that country alone, all the living elephants now on the earth. These tusks are many of them entirely sound, and are at the present day, collected. and sold by thousands for ivory.

Now admitting that these animals were covered with hair, so as to protect them from the consequences of an arctic climate, still, as formerly stated, we are met with the difficulty of accounting for the subsistence of such herds of enormous animals. On this point, Dr. Fleming

remarks, "that the kind of food which the existing species of elephant prefers, will not enable us to determine, or even to offer a probable conjecture concerning that of the extinct species. No one acquainted with gramineous character of the food of our fallow-deer, stag, or roe, would have assigned a lichen to the reindeer."

But as all agree that the whole genera of elephants lived on vegetable food, the difficulty scarcely subsides by supposing the ancient species to have eaten a different kind from those still existing, since all the vegetation of whatever kind now growing in Siberia, would not probably, have supported one in a hundred of the animals whose bones are found there.

With respect to the remains of animals found in very high northern latitudes, as that of the elephant on the Lena in latitude 70°, it is most probable that at least some, and perhaps all of them were conveyed there by the currents of overflowing rivers.

It must be remembered that the rivers of Northern Russia and Siberia run towards the north, and that therefore the snow in the regions of their head waters and upper courses, being melted by the warmth of spring, while hundreds of miles from their mouths, remain locked in ice, these rivers are every season subject to mighty floods, not only because their channels are thus nearly obliterated, but because the narrow valleys are blocked up by the descending ice.

The Lena and Yenisei, both Siberian rivers, after running at least 2000 miles discharge themselves into the Frozen Ocean, and therefore might transport the frozen carcass of an animal this distance, without its being even softened by the warmth of spring.

On reviewing the facts and circumstances above stated, although it may not be considered necessary to suppose so great a change in the climate of Siberia, as was formerly believed, in order to account for the organic phenomena existing in that country, still there remain facts in abundance, which we think cannot be reconciled with any theory, but that of a great change of climate.

ORGANIC REMAINS.

Organic Remains, include, generally, all such organ

ized substances as are found buried in the earth, as those of plants, fish, shells, and the bones of quadrupeds. The term Fossil is often used synonomously with organic, and although the former word strictly signifies any thing dug out of the earth, it is often applied to the petrified remains of plants, and other organized bodies found in strata.

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"Of all the appearances which the earth presents," says Dr. Macculloch, nothing has excited more attention than the existence of animal bodies in strata; while the air of mystery which attended them stimulated curiosity, and may be said to have laid the foundation of geological science. If the presence of animals once submarine, in rocks, and on lofty mountains, was a cause of wonder, and a source of theories, so did the discovery of the bones of large animals, lead to the belief of preexisting races of giants, while in both cases, philosophy, with history, sacred and profane, were perverted to find explanations."

"The increase of knowledge has given a very different complexion to this subject, and a more rational direction to the pursuit. Yet, the geologist seems in danger of forgetting that it is but one part of his science. Its details belong to zoology and botany; and he loses sight of his main object, when he pursues these minutia to the neglect of their more interesting connections with the history of the globe. Still more deeply does he err, when he supposes that a theory of the earth can be founded on what involves so small a portion of its structure and history. It is, doubtless, essential to know these objects; as to arrange and name them, is the grammar of this department. But it is unfortunately true, that whether the contemplation of minutiæ disables the mind for wider views, or that only a minute mind can be engrossed by such things, the power of profiting by collections and their study, diminishes in proportion to their extent and the activity of collectors, whether it be in natural history or in books."-Vol i. 406.

DIVISION OF FOSSILS.

Fossils may be divided into marine and terrestrial; the first including all such as belong to the sea, and the se