206 ANIMALS OF THE PAST 
phlet, now unfortunately rare, and described 
in some respects better than has been done by 
any subsequent writer, since the points of dif- 
ference between various parts of the mastodon 
and elephant were clearly pointed out. This 
skeleton was exhibited in London, and after- 
wards at Peale’s Museum in Philadelphia 
where, with much other valuable material, it — 
was destroyed by fire. 
Struck by the evident crushing power of the 
great ridged molars, Peale was led to believe 
that the mastodon was a creature of carnivor- 
ous habits, and so described it, but this error 
is excusable, the more that to this day, when — 
the mastodon is well known, and its description i | 
published time and again in the daily papers, — 
finders of the teeth often consider them as be- 
longing to some huge beast of prey. 
Since the time of Peale several fine speci- 
mens have been taken from Ulster and Orange 
Counties, among them the well-known “ War- 
ren Mastodon,” and there is not the slightest 
doubt that many more will be recovered from — 
the meadows, swamps, and pond holes of these f 
two counties. 
