MASTODON AND WOOLLY RHLNOCEROS. 221 



consequence of the saltness of its waters, herds of wild animals 

 collect together, attracted by the salt, for which they have a great 

 liking. This is probably the reason why so many bones have 

 accumulated here. M. de Longueil carried away some bones 

 and teeth, and, on his return to France, presented them to Dau- 

 benton and Buffon. The former declared the teeth to be those 

 of a hippopotamus, and the tusk and gigantic thigh-bone he 

 reported to belong to an elephant. Buffon, however, did not 

 share this opinion, and succeeded in converting Daubenton, as 

 well as other French naturalists, to his views. He gave to this 

 fossil animal the name of " the Elephant of Ohio," but formed an 

 exaggerated idea of its size. 



This discovery produced a great impression in Europe. The 

 English, becoming masters of Canada by the peace of 1763, 

 sought eagerly for more remains. Croghan, the geographer, 

 visited the Big Bone Lick, and found there some more bones of 

 the same kind. He forwarded many cases to different naturalists 

 in London. 



Sir Henry Howorth, in his recent work, The Ma7nmoth and 

 the Flood (in which are brought forward] certain views; not 

 shared by most geologists), mentions that in 1762 the Shawnee 

 Indians found, some three miles from the river Ohio, the 

 skeletons of five Mastodons, and reported that one of the heads 

 had a long nose attached to it, below which was the mouth. 

 Several explorers report discoveries of a like nature, which, if they 

 may be trusted, and if they really refer to the Mastodon, and not 

 the Mammoth, seem to show that portions of the skin and hairy 

 covering have been seen. If so, their preservation is probably 

 due to the saltness of the waters of this marsh, for salt is a good 

 preservative. In The American Journal of Science,^ Dr. Koch 

 reports the discovery of a Mastodon's skeleton, of which the 

 head and fore foot were well preserved, also large pieces of the 

 skin, which looked like freshly tanned leather. But some of 

 * Vol. xxxvi. p. 199. 



