250 THE AURIFEROUS GRAVELS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA. 
nent, contemporaneously with the Mastodon Americanus. One of these species, 
a third larger than the existing camel, is the Auchenia Calfornica ; the second, 
intermediate in size to the two latter, may be named A. hesterna.” 
The locality of Dr. Yates’s specimens of A. hesterna is Alameda County. 
A single tooth, in excellent preservation, was seen by the writer in the 
collection of Dr. E. S. Snell of Sonora, and by him stated to have been found 
in the auriferous gravel in the vicinity of that place. It proved, on exami- 
nation, to be the last inferior molar of a large ruminant probably allied to 
the camel. It resembles a tooth of corresponding size, but a penultimate 
molar, from the Niobrara River, for which Dr. Leidy proposed the name of 
Megalomeryx.* Of this genus Dr. Leidy remarks: “The genus to which the 
above name was applied has not been determined by positive characters, and 
may prove not to be distinct from Procamelus.” + This is a remarkable in- 
stance of the proof of the existence of an interesting species — once probably 
abundant on the Pacific Coast — dependent on the accidental preservation 
of a single tooth; for this seems to be the only specimen of the kind found 
east of Nebraska. 
Of the Capride it is not known to the writer that any remains have been 
found in the Sierra. A single specimen of a large sheep-like molar, of uncer- 
tain reference, was among the specimens submitted by the writer to Dr. Leidy 
for examination. The tooth was in a very broken condition. It came from 
near Centerville, Alameda County, and was collected by Dr. Yates. 
Of the Cervide, the only fossil remains known to the writer as having been 
found in the Sierra are those mentioned in connection with the notice of the 
bones of the lama discovered in Mariposa County and a single metatarsal 
bone, of a species of Cervus, smaller than the Virginia deer. This latter was 
found in the gravel near Murphy’s at an unknown depth. 
Two lower molar teeth of an animal not differing from the living American. 
tapir were also seen in Dr. Snell’s collection; and were said to have come 
from the gravels in the vicinity of Sonora.{ These also are unique speci- 
mens, no other evidences of the existence of the fossil tapir anywhere west 
of the Mississippi Vailey, although the remains of this animal have been found 
in many localities in the Eastern States. As Dr. Leidy remarks: “Seeing 
that different known species of tapirs exhibit little or no difference in the 
* Proceedings Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1858, p. 24. 
+ Contributions, &e., p. 260. 
{ Casts of these teeth were taken and submitted to Dr. Leidy for examination. They were the same 
specimens afterwards examined by Professor Owen of London. See Am. Jour. Sci. (2), XLV., 381. 
