ALLUVIAL DEPOSITES. oH 



shells of the oyster, and the muscle, the teeth of sharks, and 

 of the elephant, are sometimes found m them. A tusk of the 

 Asiatic elephant, several feet in length, was found on Walnut 

 creek, not many years since, by the late Thomas H. Gibson, 

 M. D. Walnut creek is in the upper part of Pickaway county. 



The teeth of the Mastodon were formerly found, along the 

 bed of the Scioto river. A whole skeleton was found north 

 of Lancaster, when the Lancaster laternal canal was digging, 

 four or five years since. Another whole skeleton was found 

 a few years since, near Massillon, in alluvial earth. The 

 remains of the Asiatic elephant were discovered, while the 

 the canal was excavating, a mile or two above Chillicothe. 



But, the greatest collection of the bones of all sorts of ex* 

 tinct and non-extinct animals have,been found at Bigbonelick, 

 forty miles, by water, below Cincinnati, on the Kentucky side 

 of the Ohio river. The licks are a few miles from Colonel 

 Robert Piatt's house, situated at the point, where travelers 

 should land from the steamer, if they wish to visit this inte- 

 resting spot. 



Of the animals, whose bones have been disinterred, at the 

 Bigbone, are those of the mastodon, of the megalonix, of the 

 deer of several species, and, even of the common horse 1 

 Tono of these remains, have been dug up, and carried away, 

 to all parts of this country, and, to Europe. A nephew of 

 Chief Justice Marshall, we believe, owns the land — Jabies 

 Marshall, Esquire. 



One of the most stupendous animals of the extinct race, or 

 rather its skeleton, was discovered several years since, in allu- 

 vial earth, below New-Orleans, near the Mississippi river. 



About ten years since, its bones were brought to Columbus, 

 and there exhibited, by their owners. This individual of an 

 extinct species of alligator, was at least, when alive, one hun- 

 dred and eighty feet in length, and its body was thirty feet in 

 diameter ! This river-god of the greatest river in the world, 

 as a heathen would say, must have lived in the times of the 

 mastodon, megalonix and Asiatic elephant, of this region. 

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