16 GEOLOGICAL IVrEMOIES. 



In contrast to the characters just indicated of Mastodon angusti- 

 deTis, which would be considered identical with M. longirostris, it 

 may be said that in the Nikolajew remains the symphysial process, 

 together with the straight tusks, does not attain | the length of the 

 lower jaw. The broad surfaces of the crown-tubercles of the molars 

 are but slightly folded, and have no accessory tubercles between 

 them. The upper and elongated tusks are quite straight. 



With reference to their form resembling that of the Tapir, the 

 molars of our skeleton agree best with those of the Mastodon Tapi- 

 roides, Cuv,, figured by De Blainville (Osteogr. Gravigrades, pi. 17). 

 The Nikolajew skeleton may therefore be referred, on the best 

 grounds, at any rate provisionally, to Mastodon Tapiroides. The 

 remains in question thus determined, since they cannot well be re- 

 ferred to Mastodon longirostris, would appear to possess a positive 

 scientific value, and calculated to establish on more definite grounds 

 a species hitherto accepted only from the characteristic form of the 

 molars. At the same time they demonstrate that, at least in Europe 

 and Eussia, another species of the genus Mastodon existed, besides 

 Mastodon longirostris. 



The significant fact referred to in the preceding report is worthy 

 of attention — that a few steps from the site of the Mastodon remains, 

 and in one and the same deposit, there was found a layer, about an 

 inch thick, of a rusty, incompact wood, approaching the condition of 

 lignite. The origin of it can only be explained thus, that the place 

 where the remains were found bore forests during the period of exist- 

 ence of the Mastodon, whilst at the present time its surface presents 

 bare tracts of steppes or prairie-land. Prom what we know of the 

 habits of the existent Elephants, it may also be reasonably inferred 

 that the wood in question constitutes a part of the remains of arbo- 

 real forms, the young twigs and leaves of which furnished at least a 

 part of the food of the Mastodons. "We may lay the greater stress on 

 this view, as the remains of our Mastodon, which were tolerably con- 

 nected with each other, or at any rate not very far separated, be- 

 longed to an individual that died at no very great distance from the 

 place where they were found. [H. F. & T. R. J.] 



KoTE.— The Mcolaieff Mastodon, as above indicated by Professor 

 Brandt, appears to belong to M. Tapiroides ; but, as De Blainville, 

 to whose figures the author refers, confounded two distinct species 

 under this name, viz. M. Borsoni and M. Tapiroides, the former a 

 Pliocene form, and the latter from the Middle Miocene deposits of 

 Prance and Switzerland, it is important to add, that the Nicolaieff 

 skeleton belongs, so far as a determination can be rested on the 

 figures, to the M. Tapiroides proper of the Prench Palseontologists, 

 being the M. Turicensis of Schinz, from the lignite beds of Kapfnach. 

 See Schinz, Schweitz. Denkschr. vol. vii. p. 58, pi. 1. fig. 1; De 

 Blainville, Osteographie, Gen. Eleph. pi. 17, sup. 5 & 6^^, infer. 1 & 6» ; 

 Lartet, Bulletin Soc. Geol. de Prance, vol. xvi. p. 486, pi. 15. fig. 3. 

 — H. P. 



