148 DE. r. p. MORENO AND MR, A. S. WOODWARD ON [Feb. 21, 



four hundred miles further to the north, in 1880, I discovered 

 other human bodies, more or less mummified and in good preser- 

 vation, but of a different type, and beside them some painted poles 

 which served to hold up their small tents, the use of which had 

 already disappeared more than three centuries ago; together with 

 the upper part of the skull of a child perfectly scooped out like a 

 cup. And yet the historical Tehuelcbes, the same as . all the 

 indigenous races in the southern extremity of South America, 

 hold their dead in great respect, and never use such drinking- 

 vessels. 



These proofs o£ the favourable conditions of the climate and of 

 the lands near to the Cordillera, which are revealed to us by the 

 preservation of objects undoubtedly dating from very remote 

 epochs, strengthen my opinion that this skin of a huge mammal, 

 which has long since disappeared, may well have been preserved till 

 the present time. 



I exhibit a photograph of the cave in which the specimen was 

 found (reproduced on the preceding page). I may add that a 

 further careful search is now being made in the earth forming the 

 floor of the cave, and 1 hope in due time to have the honour of 

 communicating the results to this Society. 



2. Description and Comparison of the Specimen. 

 By A. Smith Woodward. 



(a) Description. 



The problematical piece of skin discovered by Dr. Moreno 

 measures approximately 0-48 m. in the direction of the main lie 

 of the hair, while its maximum extent at right angles to this 

 direction is about 0-55 m. The fi-agment, however, is very irregular 

 in shape ; and it has become much distorted in the process of 

 drying, so that the anterior portion, which is directed upwards in 

 the drawing, PI. XIII., is bent outwards at a considerable angle to 

 the main part of the specimen which will be claimed to represent 

 the back. The skin, as observed in transverse section, presents a 

 dried, felt-like aspect ; but there is a frequent ruddiness, suggestive 

 of blood- stains, while the margin above the point marked B 

 (PL XIII.) and to the right of E (PL XIII.) exhibits distinct indica- 

 tions of freshly dried once-fluid matter, which Dr. Vaughau Harley 

 has kindly examined and pronounced to be serum. Its outer face is 

 completely covered with hair, except in the region marked C and 

 above B, where this covering seems to have been comparatively fine 

 and may have been accidentally removed. The inner faceof the skin 

 (PL XIV.) is only intact in a few places {e. g. where marked Gr), the 

 specimen having contracted and perhaps been somewhat abraded, 

 so that a remarkable armour of small bony tubercles, irregularly 

 arranged and of variable size, is exposed over the greater part of 

 it, and especially well in the regions marked P. At one point, 

 marked B in PL XIII., there is an irresular rounded hole about 



