MERRIAM: THE FAUNA OF RANCHO LA BREA. 213 



portion of the beds actually examined. In most of the prominent exposures 

 at Rancho La Brea bones are generally present, though not always abundant. 

 In these localities where any considerable amount of excavation work has been 

 carried on they have usually been discovered in large quantities. 



The locality at which the University of California excavations have been 

 carried on has shown a most remarkable mass of skeletal material. During 

 the first stage of the excavations careful count was made of the carnivore speci- 

 mens obtained, and it appeared that there were thirty or more skulls of Smilo- 

 don calif ornicus, with fifty or more heads of Canis indianensis, in a mass 

 comprising less than four cubic yards. In addition to these skulls there were 

 numerous remains of bison, horse, sloth, coyote, birds, and other forms. 



At nearly all points where collecting has been done the skeletal material is 

 somewhat irregularly distributed, and usually appears to be in rather small 

 masses or pockets. The size and shape of these accumulations have presum- 

 ably been dependent on the nature of the tar pools forming about the vents 

 through which bituminous material has come to the surface. 



While it is not safe to make any attempt at an estimate of the quantity of 

 material represented in the whole area of the Rancho La Brea Beds, it is within 

 the limits of probability to say that there are still some thousands of individuals 

 of Smilodon calif ornicus and Canis indianensis entombed in the deposits of this 

 region. Of other forms the number is also probably very large, though some- 

 what less than in the case of the Carnivora. 



Date of issue, November 9, 1911. 



