EEPORT. 



To the Legislature of the State of JVew York : 



The Regents of the University respectfully report that among 

 the additions made to the Cabinet during the last year, are re- 

 mains of the Mastodon, found at Ellenville, in the county of 

 Ulster. While these wonderful animals, the- giants of former 

 days, have become entirely extinct, they have left the evidences 

 of their former existence in various parts of the United States ; 

 but in no places in more perfect preservation than in the coun- 

 ties of Orange and Ulster, in this State. A skeleton nearly per- 

 fect was many years since found near Newburgh ; and in digging 

 the drains of a swamp more recently, in Ellenville, a large tusk, 

 parts of the skull and several detached bones were obtained. 

 During the last summer, other remains in the same locality were 

 found ; and, in the hope of obtaining an entire skeleton, the 

 Secretary of the Board, and the Curator of the Cabinet were 

 directed to make a thorough examination of the grounds. Every 

 facility for doing this was granted by John McElhorn, Esq., the 

 owner. A tusk more than seven feet long, from which some 

 three feet had been broken, evidently during ' the life of the 

 animal, parts of the upper and lower jaws, in which are several 

 teeth, and the principal parts of the skull, from all of which it 

 is confidently expected that an entire skeleton of the head can 

 be constructed, were obtained. A heavy rain, which occurred 

 soon after these excavations, arrested the work. 



The swamp in which the bones were found is composed of 

 about two feet of peat and three of marl, resting on a base of 

 clay. The bones are in the marl, and those found were near the 

 outlet of the swamp, which is several acres in extent. Should 

 the ensuing season be favorable, further examinations may be 

 made. 



A valuable collection of shells, principally from the Pacific, 

 has been received from the Smithsonian Institution. They are 

 not catalogued, because few of them are yet described or named. 



