ART. 17. A NEW FOSSIL SEA COW FROM FLOEIDA — HAY. 6 



and sharp, but it widens toward the lingual side of the tooth and 

 becomes broadly confluent with the protocone. If there was origi- 

 nally a valley between the talon and the protocone, it has disap- 

 peared through wear. 



The metaconule occupies a central position in the tooth, behind 

 the transverse valley. It is closely connected with the hypocone, 

 apparently less closely with the metacone. It exceeds the latter in 

 size. In 31. krahulefzi, according to Abel's figure, it is smaller than 

 the metacone. The hypocone is large. At the rear of the tooth, 

 closing the gap between the hypocone and the metacone, are two 

 accessory conules, and there is another behind and outside of the 

 hypocone. Bounded by these behind and by the hypocone, meta- 

 conule, and the metacone in front and at the sides, is a considerable 

 pit. In the European species of Metaxythermm just mentioned this 

 is filled with small accessory tubercles. The base of the tooth seems 

 to be covered with a considerable coat of cement and this spreads 

 upward in a thin layer on the crown, especially in the valleys. 



This tooth differs from the teeth of all the species of Metaxy- 

 thermm figured by Abel in being broader in proportion to its length. 

 Nothing is known about the abundance of this species. In collec- 

 tions made from the phosphate deposits about Charleston, South 

 Carolina, portions of the slmlls and limb bones of sirenians are not 

 rare. They appear to belong to more than one species and probably 

 to more than one genus. It is, however, at present impossible to 

 correlate any skull bones or limb bones with the jaw above described. 

 It is impossible to determine with accuracy the geological age of 

 this species. It belonged probably either to the Upper Miocene or 

 to the Lower Pliocene. The European species belong to the Miocene 

 or in part to the Oligocene. According to Sellards ^ the pebble phos- 

 phate beds at Mulberry rest on phosphatic marls of supposed Upper 

 Oligocene age, and have been derived from the latter by reworking 

 and concentration. The fossil here described is therefore probably 

 residual from the parent formation, the Upper Oligocene. 



From Mr. Charles T. Earle, there has been lately received a con- 

 siderable lot of fossil bones and teeth which had been washed up 

 on the beach at Palma Sola, Manatee County, Florida. Among 

 these remains are teeth and bones of horses, camels, bisons, Elephas 

 cohimhi, etc. These belong certainly to the Pleistocene, Other 

 bones and teeth are present, which appear to belong to Miocene or 

 Pliocene deposits. Such are teeth of Carcharodon megaJodon, C. 

 aurlcidaius., Hemipristis serra^ Lartina cuspidata, a part of the 

 beak of a platanisted porpoise, and a tooth of a sea cow. There are 



»Fla. Geol. Surv., vol. 7, pp. 52-84. 



