INTRODUCTION 



in a letter accompanying the last collection from the same locality, " the bones 

 are very much broken up; there are ten thousand fragments to one good 

 bone. They appear to have been transported by water, as no two were found 

 in position." 



The fossils are chiefly the bones and teeth of a species of Rhinoceros, and 

 of a Mastodon different from the ordinary species whose remains are so 

 frequently found throughout the country of the United States. Others pertain 

 to three species of Llama, all larger than the living forms of South America, 

 and one of them greatly exceeding the existing Camels. A few belong to 

 another species of Rhinoceros, to two species of the equine genus Hippo- 

 therium, to a Tapir, a Mastodon, and a Megatherium. Among the remains 

 are none of Carnivora ; nor are there any of small animals, except the bones 

 and teeth of a small Crocodile or Alligator, fragments of the shell of an 

 Emys, and scales of a Gar-fish, with several bones of a Teleost. Among the 

 bones those of the limbs greatly predominate, especially the smaller ones of 

 the feet, which, with the crowns of teeth, are usually the best preserved 

 specimens. Thus, as examples, independent of broken and young bones with 

 separated epiphyses, of mature ones of the feet of the Rhinoceros, there are 

 ninety-four entire metapodials, thirty astragali, thirteen carpal scaphoids, and 

 seven cuboids, besides numerous specimens of the others. Of the largest 

 species of Llama there are nine astragali and as many patellae. There are no 

 considerable portions of skulls preserved and only small fragments of mandi- 

 bles. The fossils generally, fragments or entire specimens, of bones and teeth, 

 usually the crowns alone of the latter, are well preserved, not fissured or 

 mutilated, neither eroded nor water-worn or rolled. Further among the speci- 

 mens there are none that appear gnawed or conspicuously exhibit the marks 

 of the teeth of Carnivora. 



Notwithstanding the confusion in which the fossils were found, the colloca- 

 tion of many bones and teeth, often from opposite sides of the body, and their 

 condition of preservation, would indicate that the animals in many cases under- 

 went dissolution on the spot. Certain specimens seem to indicate that the 

 fossils while embedded were subjected to great pressure, for while the more 

 compact and firmer specimens are well preserved, generally the pulp-cavity 

 of the crowns of incompletely developed molar teeth of the Mastodon and 

 Rhinoceros are filled with the finely crushed fangs mingled with clay. The 

 enveloping matrix of the latter is usually free from such an admixture, while 

 some skull fragments in like manner have their hollows filled with finely 



