SOME CUBAN FOSSILS 



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up all through the black mud in great profusion, jaws and bones of sloths, 

 skulls of crocodiles and alligators, and parts of turtle shells. There were also 

 numerous pine cones although at present pine trees are not found in the 

 province of Santa Clara. In three days we had secured several boxes of 

 bones but in so doing freed the partly choked opening until the water could 

 no longer be kept out so that we could work, even with relays pumping 

 night and day. A small hand fire-pump was then secured but the combined 



Baflos de Ciego Montero and railroad bridge crossing Analla River 



pumps did not suffice. Finally a three-inch centrifugal gasolene pump 

 solved the problem although it required constant pumping to keep the water 

 out. 



In three weeks' time we had taken out all material immediately sur- 

 rounding the vent where the water boiled up out of a crack in the basaltic 

 bed rock. Many bones were broken and showed the tooth marks of alli- 



Banos de Ciego Montero, hotel in background and Chapapote spring in foreground. 

 This spring of 98° fahrenheit was filled with living fishes and insects. In the muddy bot- 

 tom there were hundreds of prehistoric fossil bones 



