DESCRIPTION OF REMAINS OF BISON OCCIDENTALIS 

 FROM CENTRAL MINNESOTA. 



By Oliver P. Hay, 



Associate of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. 



In the autumn of 1921 a letter was received at the United States 

 National Museum from F. W. IJliler, chief engineer, in behalf of 

 John A. Savage & Co., owners of the Sagamore Iron Mine, at 

 Riverton, Minnesota. In this letter it was written that many 

 buffalo bones had been uncovered in working their mine. The 

 inquiry was made whether or not the United States National Mu- 

 seum would be interested in the discovery. Photographs enclosed 

 in the letter showed that the bison material was valuable and also 

 that antlers of a reindeer had been unearthed at the same place. 

 At the request of the officers of the Museum the owners of the mine 

 shipped and presented to the United States National Museum a 

 large amount of bones, in fact, enough to fill trays occupying about 

 35 cubic feet of space. Among these bones are two practically com- 

 plete skulls, several others in various stages of incompleteness, be- 

 sides vertebrae, ribs, and limb bones in great numbers. However, 

 no carpal or tarsal bones, and no bones of the feet are included. 

 These smaller bones had been swept away by the streams of water 

 used in removing the peat. Out of this lot of bones have been se- 

 lected enough to make up a skeleton for exhibition. 



The officers of the company have shown a commendable apprecia- 

 tion of the value of these remains and much intelligence in bringing 

 them to the notice of the United States National Museum. 



It is found that most of the skulls belong to Bison occidenfaUs, 

 but one nearly complete skull and a good maxilla and premaxilla 

 belong to B. bison. 



The mine is close to the eastern bank of Mississippi River, about 

 10 miles northeast of Brainerd and near the town of Crosby. The 

 surveyor's description runs thus : " Section 19, township 46, range 



No. 2473— Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 63. Art. 5. 



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