216 FAUNA AMERICANA. 



individuals ; his descriptions of the same are too 

 loose and inaccurate to enable us to form any posi- 

 tive conclusions on the subject, but from other 

 circumstances connected with their history, we 

 have reason to believe that they belonged to the 

 Megatherium or Megalonix ; be this as it may, 

 the subject is replete with interest, and highly 

 deserving of further investigation ; an}' informa- 

 tion concerning them, must be sought for from 

 some European naturalist, as all these bones 

 were taken to England, by Mr. Thomas Ash, (au- 

 thor of " Travels in Jlmerica^'' published in Lon- 

 don in 1819,) he having basely stolen the same 

 from Dr. Goforth."* 



* The villany and theft of this Thomas Ash, cannot be too 

 pubHcly and generally known, and we subjoin an extract from 

 the work above quoted, detailing the particulars of this trans- 

 action. 



" Dr. Goforth, had for several years been engaged in col- 

 lecting the Mammoth aud other enormous bones, at the Big- 

 bone-lick, at a great expense and labour. In the year 1804 or 

 1805, he conveyed about five tons of these bones to Pittsburg, 

 with a view of transporting them to Philadelphia. The bones, 

 however, remained in Pittsburg for some time. Mr. Ash had 

 passed through Pittsburg, and descended to Cincinnati. There 

 learning that Dr. Goforth had a very valuable collection of 

 big bones, he soon ingratiated himself into the Doctors good 

 graces, and entered into written articles to become his agent 

 for the sale of the bones ; New Orleans being fixed upon as the 

 market. Accordingly, Mr. Ash returned to Pittsburgh in 1800 

 or 1807, with an order lor the bones, which were in the pos- 

 session of Dr. Richardson, who delivered them to Mr. Ash, (or 



