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adhering to the antler at the time when I undertook to clear away the sandstone with which they were all partially covered up.

The fragment (fig. 4) consisting of one of the occipital condyles of a large ruminant, was obtained afterwards from the same person who brought the others, and who stated that he had found it in the same spot. I purpose availing myself of the first opportunity of visiting this pass, where, from the admirable state of preservation of these specimens, I hope to meet with others equally perfect.

The axis (fig. 1) must have belonged to a very large ruminant, being in linear dimension about double the size of the corresponding bone of the common bullock of Hindustán. But supposing it to have belonged to our elk, it would appear that this individual at least did not in size equal the elk, of which the remains have been found in Europe.

Besides the specimens represented in the plate, there are in the Dadupur collection, many fragments of bones, more or less perfect, of gigantic ruminants: amongst others, cervical vertebræ, far exceeding in size that represented in fig. 2.

Another year will, I hope, give us a more perfect acquaintance with the former possessors of these huge fragments; in the mean time, it may be worth while to note the discovery of the first undoubted remains of the elk, as I am not aware that this animal has been hitherto found in a fossil state in India.

Dadupur, June 9th, 1835.

VII.--Note on the Vegetable Impressions in Agates. By Mr. J. STE

PHENSON.

[In a letter to the Editor.]

A few of the scientific gentlemen of Calcutta, who have seen specimens of my collection of agates from the Sone river, having imbedded the organic remains of plants, have doubted the existence of such remains; asserting (agreeable to the old notion), that the appearances are ceased by metallic oxides, merely assuming arborescent forms, I am well aware, that long cherished opinions are difficult to eradicate, and most people are tenacious of parting with what they have hugged as truths for half a century. I well remember when Sir HUMPHREY DAVY explained LAVOISIER'S beautiful theory of combustion, that a good many of my contemporaries would not be convinced, though demonstration stared them in the face; and it was only after years of argument, that they were compelled, at last, to embrace the new and

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