74 carried on ; and did me the honour to offer his alfiliance in tranfmitting orders to America, for procuring farther information about this mat- ter. 1n confequence of this gene- rous olfer, I propofed that his lord- fhip lhould fend the following quef- tions and orders, to any perfon in America, whom his lordlhip might think the bell: qualified for con- dufting fuch bufinefs.

Qteries and orders concerning the bones, called elephants bones, found in the marlh, called the Salt-Lick, near the river Ohio.

I. Do thofe bones appear to have lain upon the furface of the earth from the firli? Or,

II. Do they feem to have been originally at fome depth in the earth, and to have been afterwards expofed by the earth’s falling away, or by its being walhed away by floods, &c.?

III. How far is that part of the marfh from the river? How high above the common furface of the water of the river? And does it appear probable, from the level and face of that marlh, that in former times the river may have run where the bones are 3

IV. How many elephants fltele- tons have been found, as far as may be collected from the number of tufks, or other marks i and at what dillance from one another?

V. To fend over, if pollible, a whole head, or the mofi entire parts of a head, efpecially of the up- per jaw; and a foot, or the fmall bones of it, if they can be diiiin- guilhed ; and any bones which have {hole parts pretty entire which once made a joint.

VI. To make correct drawings

ANNUAL REGISTER, 1759.

of any of the bones which are pref‘; I)’ enllfe, if, on account of their fize, or tendernefs, they cannot be fent over to England.

VlI. If the bones do not lie in blended heaps, but thofe of one fingle animal all together, and at fome little diftance from others, it might be of fervice towards afcer- taining the fpecies of this animal, to expofe or uncover one complete fett of bones, without moving any one of them from its place; and to make a general drawing of the‘ whole, as they appear in that litua- tion t and to fetid as many of them as are tolerably perfeft over to England, with that drawing.

Lord Shelburne was pleafed to take the care of this propofal upon himfelf; and in proper time will probably receive fuch information as may be fatisfaétory.

I thought it would be advifeable, in the mean time, to collect all the‘ information l could upon this fub- jeft ;_ and to lay the refult of fuch enquiries before this Society: that thole who may have better oppor- tunities might be invited to the fubjeft, and no longer leave f0 ca- pital an article of Natural Hifiory uncertain.

I examined all the foflil teeth, as they are called, in the Mufazum of this Society, and the head and teeth of an hippopotamus. Then, with Dr. Knight firit, and a fe- cond time with Dr. Solander, I ex-t amined all the foflil teeth, and all the jaw-bones, and teeth of ele- phants, and hippopotami, and other large animals, in the Britifh Mu- faum; and fome likewife in pri- vate colleeiions. In making this fearch, I met with grinders of the irzcagnitum that were found in the

Brazil: