70 Description of the Bones of a new Fossil Animal. 



having already been described by Professor Homer, in the Trans- 

 actions of the American Philosophical Society for 1840. This 

 skull was discovered in Crawford County, state of Ohio, and is 

 in a prime state of preservation : the society has recently pur- 

 chased it for the cabinet. 



Mr. Koch's collection contains upwards of three hundred teeth 

 of the mastodon, with numerous jaws, from the size of those of 

 a calf, up to those of the immense skeleton.* There are also the 

 remains of the ox, deer, elk, megatherium, and portions of the 

 skeleton of three individuals of the new genus now under exam- 

 ination, judging from the relative size of the bones, some of 

 which are duplicates. Of these individual skeletons, the following 

 portions have been recognized : the os humeri of the largest, ap- 

 proaching that of the megatherium in size ; the same bone of an 

 individual about the size of the humerus of the Megalonyx la- 

 queatus ; and a third, younger and smaller individual, as is shown 

 by portions of the clavicle, radius, &c. We have then, more or 

 less perfectly preserved, two os humeri, two tibiae, two portions 

 of the radius, two portions of the clavicle ; portions of several 

 ribs ; the cubitus, or ulnar bone, nearly perfect ; sixteen loose 

 specimens of teeth, and eight others in their sockets ; two frag- 

 ments of lower jaw, two fragments of upper jaw;. five ungueal 

 phalanges; the greater portion of a sternum, consisting of four 

 pieces naturally articulated, and two other separate pieces ; the 

 major portion of the pelvis, &c. Numerous vertebrae were disin- 

 terred at the same time and place, and in the original notice of 

 these remains were confounded with the skeleton of the new ge- 

 nus, but which subsequent observation referred to the skeleton of 

 some phytivorous quadruped. 



Not any of these bones are actually petrified, but having been 

 imbedded in clay, are generally neatly preserved, and are very light 

 and friable; the specimens having been coated with glue, it has 

 given to them a blackish-brown color, but such as have lost this 

 coating remain of a yellowish-clay or ochraceous color on the 

 surface, and of a dead white color within. On subjecting por- 

 tions of these bones to the action of muriatic acid solution, they 

 were found to contain not the least vestige of animal matter. 



* Among the most interesting specimens are two mastodon skulls, one adult, 

 the other young, both of which have the tusks in situ, and which closely resemble 

 the same parts in the elephant. 



