1853.J 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



233 



gave ihe name of Tetraoaulodoii, as will bo shown lioreafter. 

 Pi-ofossor Owen has attached a new importance to this tusk, as 

 one distinctive character between the genus ]\Ia>todon, and the 

 genus Eleplias; a distinction which M. de Blainvillo, Dr. Falco- 

 ner and others, have been willing to pass ove:-. But hitherto, so 

 far as we know, the existence of this part in the elephMut has not 

 been discovered; while it is perfectly established in regard to the 

 principal species of JMastodon, the Mastodon giganteus, and Mas- 

 todon angustidens. So long as this fact I'emaius uncontroveried, 

 we should consider it, takeu in connection with other facts, as 

 forming an impassable boundary between the two families. 



This tusk is eleven inches long, five and a half in circumfer- 

 ence, and two in diameter at the bsise ; being longer by an inch 

 than the cast of a similar one in the collection of the American 

 Philosophical Societ}', which was taken from the specimen origi- 

 nally described by Dr, Godman, and disinteri-ed bj' Mr. Arclii- 

 bald CraW'ford near Newburgli. The dii'ection of our tusk is 

 forward ar,d downward, fornung an angle with a horizontal line 

 of about 45°, It has a cavity an incli and a half in diameter 

 at the internal extremity, the thickness of the edge being one- 

 fourth of an inch; this cavity is of a conical form, and two niches 

 deep. The rest of the tusk appears to be solid. The anterior 

 extremity is rounded and about an inch in diameter; on one side 

 it has been worn away to the extent of four inches. The worn 

 surface is smooth at its extremity onl}', the re^t being quite rough ; 

 the depth of the external layer is exposed in this abrasion, and 

 exhibits the thickness of an eighth of an inch. Near the poste- 

 rior or internal extremity are seen a number of circles, to the 

 amount of ten or eleven, extending from the base, to two or three 

 inches forward, and occupying that part M'hich lay in the socket. 

 The surface of the tusk generally exhibits longitudinal striie, in 

 some of which, cracks begin to appear from desiccation. These 

 stria; are distant from each other from a fourth to an eighth of 

 an inch. The color of the tusk is brown, excepting three inches 

 of its anterior extremit}', which are nearly black. At the fissures 

 it is seen to be composed of lamiute about the sixth of an inch in 

 thickness. It is perfectly firm and free from any marked e\i- 

 dence of decomposition," 



Dr. Warren mentions more or less fully and figures other Mas- 

 todon skeletons found in the United States. Plates 16, 18, 10, 

 are devoted to the Shawangunk head found at Scotehtown, 

 Orange Co., New York, which is particularly described. The 

 size of this head is not exceeded by that of any other hitherto 

 discoveied. Its greatest breadth is 31 inches, its vertical eleva- 

 tion 33:f inches, and the length from the ridge of the occipital 

 plane to the extremity of the iutermaxilary bones, is 48 inches. 



The characteristics of some other species of Mastodon occupy 

 several pages of the work ; and the so-called Tetracaulodon is 

 recognized as the male of Mastodon giganteus. 



The work closei with a dissertation on the food and supposed 

 discovery of hair of the M. giganteus, and on its geological situa- 

 tion and causes of preservation. The author states tliat of the 

 five skeletons known at this time, three have been found in the 

 fresh water marshes of Orange Co., N. Y., a fourth in an interior 

 morass in New Jereey, and the fifth near the banks of the Mis- 

 souri, probably in a fresh water deposit Scattered bones are 

 comnion from various parts of the country, and even from the far 

 north. They are reported from the surface soil, peat marshes, 

 beds of marl or loam, etc. ; but, as Lyell observes, there is yet no 

 satisfactory evidence of their occurrencij beneath the proper 

 di'ift. 



The North American Mastodon bones hitherto fi.uind appear 

 to belong to the same species, excepting a single tooth, reportei 



from Caroline County, Maryland. Dr. Warren enters into the 

 histor}' of this tooth, discusses the possibility of its being a stray 

 tootlr from another continent, and concludes that it is what it 

 purports to be, a true Maryland fossil, closely related to the Mas- 

 todon Humboldtins (or M. angustidens if the two are one), of 

 South America, if not identical with it. 



An Appendix contains various facts of interest, and among 

 them a description of a specimen of the Mastodon angustidens 

 found near Turin, (called the Dusina Mastodon), takeu from 

 Sismonda's " Osteogi-afia di uu Mastodonte angustidente," pub- 

 lished at Turin, in 1851. 



CORRLSPONDENCE. 



The letter of a " Member of the Canadian Institute," -which we 

 publish below, together with a plan of the City Frontage 

 on the Bay, are woithy the attention of those interested in the 

 long talked of Esplanade project. We have not been favoured 

 with a knowledge of the plan contemplated by the City authori- 

 ties, and cannot therefore s.ay how far the one proposed by our 

 Correspondent may agree with it; but are of opinion that 

 although our Correspondent's ideas may to many appear 

 somewhat chimerical, and especially so to interested parties, yet 

 the plan he proposes may certainly form a basis for a general 

 ari-aHgeraent highly advantageous not only to the City at large, 

 but also to the Railway Companies. We would especially direct 

 attention to the proposed manner of passing from the streets to the 

 wharves over the Railroad tracks, thereby completely avoiding 

 the accidents so common at le\el crossings on crowded thorough- 

 fares, and infinitely increasing the facilities for business. This 

 part of our Correspondent's plan would eflfect a similar object to 

 that which it is costing the Great Western Roada, very heavy 

 outlay to accomp)lish through the City of Hamilton. 



We are greatly indebted to Mr. Scobie for permission to trans- 

 fer a portion of his excellent map of the City as an illustration of 

 our Correspondent's letter. 



Kailway Teraiini and Pleasure Grounds. 



To the Editor of the Canadian Journal. 



SiK, — Believing that one object of your Journal is to facilitate 



the dissemination of 'uforraation relating to the public improvements 



of the Province, and tliat tlie Societ}', of -n-hicli it is the oificial organ, 



is established, if not chieiiy, atleastto a certain extent, for that purpose. 



1 have little hesitation in addressing you on a subject already 

 exciting some attention in Toronto, viz, : " The Railway Termini and 

 improvement of the water frontage of the City"; and if you should 

 consider that the scheme propounded contains any suggestions which 

 may be of value to those who have the caiTyiug out of these improve- 

 ments, or the subject matter of importance sufficient to enhst the 

 attention of your readers generally, it may probably be not unworthy 

 of a place in your columns. 



The water frontage of Toronto, extending over a length of from 



2 to 3 miles, and up to the present time almost unoccupied, is now 

 about to be used for Railway purposes. Adjoining thereto, and ex- 

 tending about ^4 of a mile along the south side of Front Street, 

 immediately to the east of the Old Fort, a tract of laud averaging in 

 width about 100 feet, was some years ago reserved for the public as a 

 promenade or pleasure ground,- wliich Reserve is also being appro- 

 priate! by the Railway Companies for their owu use. 



Much has lately been written, and far more has been said, regarding 

 the occupation of the water frontage by the Railway Companies, and 



