]-2
animal kingdom wliicli, altliougii llicy may nearly ajipvoacli unto other types, can never be reconciled or
assimilated with them under one head. Hence classes, orders, genera and species. True, tho gradation
is slow and in many instances hai-dly perceptible; yet this implies the consummate skill of the
ovcr-to-be-worshippod Creator's purpose, not the evolution by chance from insensate clay of the least
apprehensive of intelligencies,—a doctrine as uiiphilosophical as it is impious.
IV. Tlic Ichthyosaurus, then, unlike all other animals in the general, unites in its skeleton the
peculiarities of two classes, so that at its discovery it was immediately decided to be a new geiius. ‘Witli
what inquisitive mind did tlic learned world address itself to the task of elucidating the divisions!—Tliis
not being so easy of accomplisliment, as was fondly hoped by the majority of speculators, they retired
from the self-imposed task in disgust or chagrin, leaving tlic eminent naturalists whose names adorn our
previous page to the undisturbed cogitations of tlieiv better genius. These, of the Baconian pliilosopliy,
taking lieed to every step in tlieir progress to truth, were satisfied to remain in doubt of them until sucli
accumulation of fact was effected as would warrant cheir conclusion.
Months,_even long years came and went still both the youthful and bearded visage of Janus beheld
tlie same patient endurance of toil, of Ixion-like fate, from the paucity of materials, as already related; at
last the teeth which varicd.ad infmitum were made to distinguish one species from another.
Tlic differences founded iiereupon were, it must bo confessed, of considerable value during our early
antagonism with tlie genus; but a ten years study a t length put us in possession of its long concealed
charm. Rejecting the old specific terms, as of two indefinite pretension, and comparing the numerous
specimens in our collection with one another, we ascertain that tlie most unique feature of the
Ichthyosaurus the paddle—furnishes the best grounds for tlie true identification of the species whicii
wo enumerate:—
1. IcHTiiYOSAunus Chiroligostin'us, from x'‘P" hand ; aX<yoc, few; and omor, bone.
2. I------------------ CuiROPOLYOSTiNUS from x«R’ hs-iid; »oXwc.many; and mmoy, bone.
3. I------------------------------------CIIIROSTRONGUIOSTIHUS, from X“p- hand; m-poyyuXoc, round; and omioy. bone.
4. 1 CiiiROPARAMEKOSTiNus, from x«ip. hand; rnpnfiw-ic. oblong; and oiiTfOF, bone.
In the month of July, 1832, Miss Anning obtained from the indurated marl of the lias limestones
near the Church at Lyme, part of the head of the Chiroligostinus figured in the third plate. Happening
to arrive at Lyme the same day, I was fortunate in availing myself of the specimen. Accompanying
Miss Aiming the next morning to tlic beach, she pointed out to me the place whence it was brought.
Persuaded that the other portion of the skeleton must be tliore, I advised its extrication, if it were possible,
but Miss Anning liad so little faith in my opinion, tliat she assured me I was at liberty to examine its
propriety or otherwise for myself. Hereupon I waited upon Mr. Edwards, the owner of tlie land, an<l
requested permission to throw down as much of the cliff as was necessary for such intention, which ho
very handsomely allowed me to do.
If our reader knows Lyme ho will remember that four or five liundred yards of the coast from
the Borough eastward has an elevation of from sixty to a hundred feet above high-water mark, and that
a bed of diluvial gravel conceals tlie blue-marl of the lias from observation, except in tliosc places where
the rain has ploughed itselfa channel towards the sea. At this spot was seen two or three years ago a
kind of peninsular rock, whicii had long defied the fury of the destructive current tliat a south-wester
invariably propelled against it from the cob. Tliere it abutted upon tlic angry waves, reft of its gravelly
covering by the storm, with its grey sides slowly crumbling beneath the frost and saline atmosphere;
but its foundations sound and unmoved.
13
Nature seems to have made this depository of the chef d' oeuvre of hcr ancient régime, for here was
the Chiroligostinus, her especial care, as had not the lias whicli composed it been more crystalline
than is usual with that locality, it must have yielded to the tidal action, and so have sacrificed the
precious charge it bore. But that venerable though tiny promontory is no more. What the warring
elements failed in, curiosity achieves : tlie hand of man came upon it, and it departed like a shadow.
The sun rose bright on the 26th day of July, 32, and the morning mists were hardly rolled
from the hill’s side ere many men busily engage with spade and pick-axe to humble the doomed
summit of tliis cliff. Progress was also made on the following day, when people from tlie adjacent
country (locked to witness the execution of a purpose which seemed to stagger tlieir faith in our
rationality. By next day’s noon twenty thousand loads of earth, cast fiom the crown of the rock,
constitute a good road-way to the beach from that part of it to which we had dug, and a few
minutes more suffice to demonstrate the wonderful remain I tell of. Who can describe my transport
at the sight of the colossus! My eyes the first which beheld it!—wlio shall ever see them lit up
with the same unmitigated enthusiasm again I And I verily believe Uiat the uncultivated bosoms
of the working-men were seized with the same contagious feeling, for they and the surrounding
spectators waved their hats to an hurra, that made hill and mossy dell echoing ring.
And the rippled waters all sparkling and blue
Of the hushed yet stern and mighty sea,
The cradle of pcttrel and stormy curlew,
Reflected a bright and more beautiful liue
As with baffled old Time we made holiday.
And the high—higli lieaven, green ocean and earth
Rejoiced while of Time wc made mock’ry and mirth.
And the dreamy shadows of tilings that liad been
The fondled and petted of Time when young,
Tliat had occupance first of tliis faery terrene:—
With the recent race of mankind they convene
And of worshipful Nature murmuring sung,
And of Time we made sport witli the spirits of yore
Which flickered and flashed by that sun-shiny shore.
Ah but the tug of war! — the bones with the marl in wliich they lay, broke into small
fragments, so that I almost despaired of their re-union ; albiet, with tlie kind assistance of Miss Anning,
the whole of them were packed, and by. night-fall the last lieavj box-full was deposited in a place of
safety. So secured, the skeleton and its matrix weighed a ton.
It arrived at my house the 1st of August, at six o’clock in the morning, and the whole of this day
was occupied in unpacking and disposing in their proper places, as well as I could, tlie dreadfully
numerous pieces, I shall never forget the intense heat of the following fortnight during which time,
the Sabbath excepted, I was engaged from day-light to dark-night in developing it. The heat did I
say,—yea, the heat of tlie blessed sun, for by that was dried, against the brick-walls of ray work-house,
the Acacian gum with which I succeeded in reintegrating it. Had not ttiis warm weatlicr fallen out all
my pains must have been abortive, as from tlic angular fractures into which the specimen fell, and
many other causes, it could not have been consolidated by common fire.
Having indulged in so much detail respecting this most magnificent organic remain, I cannot
but advert to its subsequent iiistoiy. When my manual labours terminated, it counted about six hundred
pieces, some of which were so brittle that it was dangerous to touch them. Tliose a trusty Lucchese,
under my especial directions, fixed in sulphate of lime of which thirty hundred pounds were used, in a
case that weighed half a ton.