CHAUTAUQUA PALEONTOLOGY 

 MASTODON AND MAMMOTH 



By W. W. Henderson 



At the threshold of local history, among the important and 

 interesting facts relating to the natural history of Chautauqua 

 County which have contributed to its fame, are those revealed in 

 its archaeological remains. It is notable that within the last half 

 century there have been exhumed from its soil four distinct speci- 

 mens of the Mastodon (mastodon gigantus) and one specimen of the 

 Mammoth (elephas Americanus), members of the order of Pachy- 

 dermata (dense skinned animals), and of the family proboscidia 

 (having probosis and tusks). 



The initial discovery of the kind within the county was made 

 August 25, 1 87 1, on the farm of Joel I. Hoyt near the northern 

 border of Jamestown, among a group of low hills — the terminal 

 glacial moraines of the locality, which mark the southern extension 

 of the ice sheet in this longitude, and here overlook the picturesque 

 valley of the Chadakoin. 



Regarding the event of discovery, we here introduce the descrip- 

 tive portion of the excellent detailed report of the late Professor 

 Samuel G. Love, of the Jamestown Collegiate Institute, published 

 by the Jamestown Journal at the time, which forcibly illustrates 

 the difficulties in the way of securing a perfect collection of such 

 parts of a skeleton as might, with care and skill, be preserved, when 

 the discovery is not accidental, and, as is usually the case, made by 

 laborers wholly unacquainted with the importance and necessities 

 of the occasion. These facts will inspire caution and care in un- 

 earthing and preserving future discoveries of the kind. 



The Hoyt farm is on North Main street. The sink or peaty 

 slough in which the remains were found is about five hundred feet 

 from the east line of that street, covering an area of about an acre 

 and varying from two to eight feet in depth — originally fed by 

 several springs. 



Mr. Hoyt caused the sink to be drained, leaving the muck to 

 dry, but later began an excavation there for the double purpose of 

 enriching his land with the muck and making a trout pond. The 

 work of excavating had continued about a week when the workmen 

 began to find, as they supposed, a peculiar kind of wood and roots 

 imbeded some six feet beneath the surface. For several days they 



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