284 



Adventures in Scenery 



don, and exceeded in size elephants that are living today. Some 

 of these animals had a height of more than 1 3 feet as measured 

 at the shoulders. The American mastodon during Pleistocene 

 time is known to have ranged widely over the United States. 

 Fragmentary remains of mastodons have been found at a num- 

 ber of localities in California. 



Courtesy Los Angeles Museum 



FIG. 79. Restored skeleton of American Mastodon (Mammut ameri- 

 canum, Kerr) . From tar pits of Rancho La Brea. 



Many Remains of Birds Recovered 



The geographic distribution of extinct species of birds is 

 not as well defined or as well known as that of extinct mam- 

 mals. The remains of birds from the asphalt at Rancho La 

 Brea form a varied and interesting assemblage, more interesting 

 perhaps than even that of the extinct mammals. Approxi- 

 mately 75 different types have been recognized. Within the 

 group occur forms now entirely extinct and principally known 

 from this locality. The unusual conditions that made possible 



