1846.] Central Cavity of the Mastodon. 21 



I may further state that one of the tusks had had a considerable 

 portion broken off, and the end of the stump had been worn 

 smooth. But the most remarkable circumstance respecting these 

 weapons was this — the points instead of turning upward, were 

 everted, precisely like a pair of callipers reversed. And to add 

 to the singularity, in the skeleton arranged by Dr. Prime, pre- 

 cisely the opposite curvature took place, the regular calliper form 

 being preserved. If to these two instances, that of Dr. Koch's in 

 the British Museum be added, it would seem to follow that in the 

 mastodon, as in rams and bulls, the garniture of the head assumed 

 various and fantastic forms. 



I cannot conclude without adverting to the extraordinary state 

 of preservation in which the bones of the mastodon are found. 

 Judging from their appearance alone, every one would suppose, 

 but very few years could have elapsed since they formed parts of 

 living creatures. That these animals wxre contemporaneous with 

 our Indians, admits, I think, of no doubt; but as to the cause of 

 extinction in them, in elephants, horses and other extinct races, 

 I have no conjecture to offer. 



Note by the Editor: — That this extinct race of gigantic ani- 

 mals in this country, was not destroyed by any great deluge or 

 convulsion of nature, we think will abundantly appear from the 

 circumstances in which . the remains are found. The single case 

 of the skeleton described in the last number of this Journal, found 

 in just the position an animal would assume which sank in the 

 mire, and struggled unavailingly to extricate himself, is enough 

 to show that the death of those found in our peat bogs and marl 

 beds was altogether accidental. The greatest amount of all these 

 races have died probably on the higher lands which they fre- 

 quented. But their bones, exposed to atmospheric influences, 

 have decayed and been scattered to the winds, so that no trace of 

 them is now left. We only find those which have been buried 

 soon after death, and that have been protected from those causes 

 of decay which have wasted others. It is asserted by many that 

 the marl possesses antiseptic properties. Others say that the tan- 



