6 



"By far the greater portion of the fossil remains are obtained 

 from the post-pleiocene deposit of the Ashley River, about ten 

 miles from Charleston. The country in this locality is composed 

 of a base of whitish eocene marl, containing remains of squalodon 

 — shark* and rays — above which is a stratum of post-pleiocene 

 marl, about one foot in thickness, overlaid by about three feet of 

 sand and earth mould 



" The post-pleiocene marl contains great quantities of irregu- 

 lar, water-worn fragments of the eocene marl rock from beneath, 

 mingled with sand, blackened pebbles, water rolled fragments of 

 bones, and more perfect remains of fishes, reptiles and mammals, 

 belonging to the post-pleiocene and eocene fossils. 



" On the shores of the Ashley River, where the post-pleocene 

 and eocene formations are exposed, the fossils are washed from 

 their beds, and become mingled with the remains ol recent indi- 

 genous and domestic animals, and objects of human art, so that 

 when a collection is made in this locality, it is sometimes diffi- 

 cult to determine whether the animal remains belong to the 

 formations mentioned or not. Generally, however, we have 

 been able to ascertain where the fossils belong, which we have 

 had the opportunity of examining, from the fact that the greater 

 number were obtained from the deposits referred to in digging 

 into them some distance from the Ashley River. 



" The collections contain remains of the horse, ox, sheep, hog 

 and dog, which I feel strongly persuaded, with the exception of 

 many of those of the first mentioned animal, are of recent date, 

 and have become mingled with the true fossils of the post-pleio- 

 cene and eocene formations, where there have been exposed on 

 the banks of the Ashley River and its tributaries. In regard to 

 the remains of the horse, from the facts stated in the account 

 given of them in the succeeding pages, I think it will be con- 

 ceded that this animal inhabited the United States during the 

 post-pleiocene period, contemporarily with the mastodon viega- 

 lonyx, and the great broad fronted bison. 



"Many of the mammalian remains are of recent animals, or at 

 least are undistinguishable from the corresponding parts of the 

 latter; and if they are not accidental o< cupants of the post-plei- 

 ocene deposit, aie highly interesting, as indicating their con- 

 temporaneous existence with many species and genera now ex- 

 tinct.* 



" It appears to be quite well authenticated that the horse, 

 which is now so extensively distributed, both in a wild and do- 

 mestic condition, throughout North and South America, did not 

 inhabit these continents at the time of their discover} 7 b}' Euro- 

 peans. With this fact in view, in conjunction with the circum- 

 stance that animal remains of late periods may become accidental 



* Remains of the Tapir, Peccary and Cabybara present a similar association 

 of life to that now confined to South America. 



