LIFE IN THE KAINOZOIC EPOCH 



475 



ig- I 334- Mammoth (Elefihas primigenius), much reduced 



brances which in the end brought about extinction. Here, as 

 in many other cases, over-specialization proved fatal. The last 

 extinct Mammal to be mentioned is the Mammoth 

 (Elephas primigenius, fig. 1334), a sort of Elephant 

 which had a very wide geographical range in the 

 northern hemisphere, especially in the colder parts of 

 this. The frozen bodies of Mammoths are now and 

 then discovered in the iron-bound soil of the Siberian 



tundras, and these prove the exis- 

 tence of a thick coat of long black 

 over - hair, together with reddish 

 wool, a character no doubt to be 

 regarded as a climatal adaptation. 

 One of the prehistoric drawings 

 made by the men of the Stone Age 

 (see p. 233) gives a rough outline of 

 one of these animals, and indicates 

 the shaggy coat. It was found in 

 a French cavern, and executed 

 upon a piece of mammoth tusk. 

 The Siberian variety has long been 

 known as a source of fossil ivory. 



Kainozoic Birds (Aves). Some 

 of the extinct Running Birds 

 (Ratitce) are perhaps the most in- 

 teresting. In New Zealand, for example, the Moas existed 

 during the period of human occupation, and were finally exter- 



- I33S- Skeleton of Moa (Pachyomis 

 elephantopus], much reduced 



