Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and YoungTimbs, John
Science
Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and Young
Timbs, John
Science
The _Thylacoleo_ (Pouch-Lion) was a gigantic marsupial carnivore, whose
character and affinities Professor Owen has, with exquisite scientific
tact, made out from very small indications. This monster, which had
kangaroos with heads three feet long to feed on, must have been one of
the most extraordinary animals of the antique world.
THE CONEY OF SCRIPTURE.
Paleontologists have pointed out the curious fact that the Hyrax,
called ‘coney’ in our authorised version of the Bible, is really only
a diminutive and hornless rhinoceros. Remains have been found at
Eppelsheim which indicate an animal more like a gigantic Hyrax than
any of the existing rhinoceroses. To this the name of _Acerotherium_
(Hornless Beast) has been given.
A THREE-HOOFED HORSE.
Professor Owen describes the _Hipparion_, or Three-hoofed Horse, as the
first representative of a family so useful to mankind. This animal,
in addition to its true hoof, appears to have had two additional
elementary hoofs, analogous to those which we see in the ox. The object
of these no doubt was to enable the Hipparion to extricate his foot
with greater ease than he otherwise could when it sank through the
swampy ground on which he lived.
TWO MONSTER CARNIVORES OF FRANCE.
A huge carnivorous creature has been found in Miocene strata in
France, in which country it preyed upon the gazelle and antelope. It
must have been as large as a grisly bear, but in general appearance
and teeth more like a gigantic dog. Hence the name of _Amphicyon_
(Doubtful Dog) has been assigned to it. This animal must have derived
part of its support from vegetables. Not so the coeval monster which
has been called _Machairodus_ (Sabre-tooth). It must have been
somewhat akin to the tiger, and is by far the most formidable animal
which we have met with in our ascending progress through the extinct
mammalia.--_Professor Owen._
GEOLOGY OF THE SHEEP.
No unequivocal fossil remains of the sheep have yet been found in
the bone-caves, the drift, or the more tranquil stratified newer
Pliocene deposits, so associated with the fossil bones of oxen,
wild-boars, wolves, foxes, otters, &c., as to indicate the coevality
of the sheep with those species, or in such an altered state as to
indicate them to have been of equal antiquity. Professor Owen had his
attention particularly directed to this point in collecting evidence
for a history of British Fossil Mammalia. No fossil core-horns of the
sheep have yet been any where discovered; and so far as this negative
evidence goes, we may infer that the sheep is not geologically more
ancient than man; that it is not a native of Europe, but has been
introduced by the tribes who carried hither the germs of civilisation
in their migrations westward from Asia.
THE TRILOBITE.
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