Motices of Big-bone Lick. 161 



that have been discovered elsewhere, would not, united, equal 

 the number obtained at this single locality. 



Longueil and Croghan each took but five or six teeth and 

 bones, being as much as their means of transportation at that 

 time permitted. 



General Harrison, as he informed several members of the Ly- 

 ceum of Natural History, when in New York, about three years 

 ago, procured as many as filled thirteen hogsheads, which were 

 sent up the Ohio to Pittsburg ; after which he never heard what 

 became of them. General Collard, about the same time, obtain- 

 ed twenty-four pieces. 



It is not to be presumed that these bones all belonged to the 

 great mastodon ; but I am induced to mention them here, on ac- 

 count of the probability that a majority of them did. In all the 

 collections of bones made here, of which any precise account has 

 been given, these always constitute the great mass. And this, 

 unfortunately, is as much as is now known of all that was re- 

 moved previous to the exploration made by Dr. Goforth. 



Concerning this, our information is likewise very scanty. He 

 states that he got of mastodons' teeth alone,* weighing from 

 twelve to twenty pounds, " as many as a wagon and four horses 

 could draw," besides which were many large tusks and bones, no 

 doubt principally belonging to the same animal. A large part 

 of this collection passed into the hands of Mr. William Bullock, 

 so well known for the services he has rendered to natural history. 

 Mr. Bullock, now residing in this country, I applied to him for 

 information concerning them, when he favoured me with the 

 following reply, dated Nov. 24, 1828. 



" In regard to the fossil bones of which you request informa- 

 tion, it is about twenty years since I purchased of Thomas Ashe, 

 twelve cases of bones, which I afterwards discovered were col- 

 lected by Dr. Goforth, a few years previous to the time I bought 

 them. According to Ashe's account, who was present when many 

 of them were collected, they were found several feet below the 

 surface, and under the stratum of graminivorous bones, which 

 you must have observed on the bank of the small river that 

 passes near the spring. 



" I had about twenty back teeth, exclusive of perhaps eight 



• Sec his letter to Mr. Jeflerson, puWkhed in Cramer's Ohio Navigator, 8th ed. pp. 

 260,202. 



Vol. L— 21 



