68 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Comparisons of the photographs of this specimen with the skulls 

 of recent individuals of the American bison fail to reveal any 

 differences which can be regarded as specific. Underwood in his 

 original description states: "The formation was of black swamp 

 muck underlaid by clay; the skull being found at the junction of 

 the two deposits." Its depth below the surface is stated to have 

 been " about lo feet." 



Mr John Cunningham of Syracuse, the owner of the specimen, 

 places the depth at 17 feet and the position as below the ''muck." 

 The unstained condition of the skull and the presence of shell 

 fragments between the horns and the horn cores strongly support 

 this latter statement. 



In spite of these very natural discrepancies of a few feet in the 

 observation of its geological horizon, this specimen can be regarded 

 as unquestionably of considerable age. If the stratum in which it 

 occurred was laid down in a greater Onondaga lake, then the 

 Syracuse bison is much older than the bear and deer remains from 

 Ley creek. Until, however, more is known of the stratigraphy of 

 these layers this conclusion must remain unverified. The altitude 

 of this locality is about 400 feet, or approximately 36 feet above 

 Onondaga lake. 



Elephas primigenius Blumenbach 

 Northern mammoth 



Locality. East side of Limestone creek near Manlius Station 

 (now Minoa) on the West Shore Railroad (see U. S. G. S. topo- 

 graphic sheets of the Syracuse and Chittenango quadrangles). 



The specimens assignable to Elephas primigenius were 

 unearthed during the construction of the West Shore Railroad and 

 probably in the year 1883. They comprise one cheek tooth and 

 portions of a tusk or tusks. The best preserved tusk fragment and 

 the molar were secured for Syracuse University through the enter- 

 prise of Mr John Cunningham. 



The molar is of interest on account of its approach to that of 

 the southern mammoth (Elephas columbi Falconer) . In 

 the number and character of its enamel ridges it. undoubtedly pre- 

 sents some resemblance to the teeth of E . columbi but it is 

 nevertheless probably referable to the northern form.^ The tusk 



1 Dr O. P. Hay and Dr W. K. Gregory have both examined photographs 

 of this specimen and have very generously given the author the benefit of 

 their opinions on its specific position. 



