Megalonyx laqueatus. 357 



and was formerly extensively worked for saltpetre ; the bones 

 were buried two or three feet beneath the surface of the floor of 

 the cave ; they are completely fossilized, very dense and heavy, 

 of a white colour, and are still very well preserved. 



Meoalokyx laqueatus. Harlak. 



Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. vi. p. 269, 

 pi. 12, 13, 14. Also, in the American Monthly Journal of Geology and Natu» 

 ral Sciences, 1831 and 1832. " Description of the Jaws, Teeth, and Clavicle 

 of the Megalonyx laqueatus.'''' By R. Harlan, M. D. vol. i. p. 74. pi. 3. 



Locality. — " White Cave," Edmondson county, Kentucky, 

 on the southern bank of Green river, fifty miles in a direct 

 northern line from the Ohio river, and about half a mile from 

 the mouth of " Mammoth Cave."" 



The specimens of this highly important organic remain are 

 at present the property of John Price Wetherill, Esq., and have 

 been by him liberally deposited in the Cabinet of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. They consist of the fol- 

 lowing portions of the skeleton, viz. : two claws of the fore-feet ; 

 a radius, humerus, scapula, one rib, and several remnants of 

 ribs, OS calcis, tibia, portion of the femur ; four dorsal and one 

 lumbar vertebrae, a portion of a molar tooth, together with 

 several epiphyses, the bones being portions of the skeleton of a 

 young animal, all occasionally imperfect at their extremities. 



Recent bones of the bison, the deer, the bear, and a meta- 

 carpal bone of the human finger, accompanied the specimens, 

 and were stated to have occurred in the same cave with those 

 of the Megalonyx ; the latter, strictly speaking, are not fossi- 

 lized ; they retain a very considerable portion of their animal 

 matter, are much more brittle and lighter than recent bones ; 

 most of the articulating surface are still covered, more or less, 

 with cartilage, tinged of a yellow colour. One of the unguial 

 phalanges still fetains the horny covering or nail, also tinged 

 of a yellow ochreous colour. These bones are stated to have 

 been found on the surface of the floor of the cave, uncovered by 

 earth or stalagmite. Not only the teeth, but other portions of 

 the skeleton, were found, on comparison with similar parts of 

 the Jefferson Megalonyx, to present differences estimated of 

 sufficient importance to constitute distinctive specific characters. 

 In the same collection there are a humerus, nearly perfect, 



