MASTODONS, MAMMOTHS AND OTHER PLEISTOCENE MAMMALS 1 5 



in the procedure, in order to secure specimens and determine their char- 

 acter. It was difficult to determine the precise position of the remains, 

 as they were much disturbed and partially removed before any special 

 notice was taken of them. From the best information I could get, I con- 

 clude that the body lay with the head to the east, from 4 to 6 feet beneath 

 the surface, and in a partially natural position. Many of the bones were, 

 however, out of place. The lower jaw was about 5 feet from the head, and 

 lay on the side crushed together so that the rows of teeth were very near 

 each other. The tusks extended eastwardly in nearly a natural position, 

 and, judging from the statements of Mr Hoyt and the workmen, they 

 must have been from 10 to 12 feet in length. After digging into the 

 gravel and clay about 10 inches I found traces of a rib, decayed, but 

 distinctly marked, over 5 feet in length. Where the body must have lain 

 were found large quantities of vegetable matter (evidently the contents of 

 the stomach) mostly decayed, in which were innumerable small twigs 

 varying from one-half inch to 2 inches in length. The remains were all 

 in a very forward state of decay; and when I reached the ground I found 

 it impossible to do little more than had already been done to preserve 

 them. Many of therm were picked up in the field, whither they had been 

 drawn with the muck, and from piles of roots and stumps. Specimens 

 secured: (1) Tip of one of the tusks; length, 3 feet, 7^2 inches; diameter, 

 6y 2 inches. (2) Middle section of the other tusk; length, 2 feet, 5 inches; 

 diameter, y x / 2 inches. (3) Six teeth; length of longer ones on the crown, 

 7Y 2 inches; weight, 5^2 pounds; length of shorter ones, 4 x / 2 inches; weight, 

 2y 2 pounds. (4) Left side of under jaw containing two teeth in situ; 

 length preserved, 2 feet, 1 inch; depth from the crown of the teeth, 10^2 

 inches; thickness, 6 inches. (5) Pieces of scapula (shoulder blade) from 

 10 to 13 inches long and 4 to 7 wide. (6) Sections of ribs; 12 to 18 inches 

 long. (7) Head of the femur (thigh bone). (8) Portions of the vertebrae 

 of the neck. (9) Fragments of the cranium (skull). (10) Various other 

 pieces not yet identified. The animal was undoubtedly the American 

 mastodon (Mastodon Maximus, or Mastodon Americanus of some 

 authors). A single tooth is sufficient to distinguish it from the elephant. 

 The grinding surface of a mastodon's tooth is covered with conical pro- 

 jections (whence the name of the animal) while that of the elephant is 

 flat. The size of the living animal must have been, in height, from 10 to 

 15 feet, and in length to the base of the tail, from 15 to 20 feet. (I ought 

 perhaps to say that although I am quite satisfied with the above estimate 

 of size, I have been told by very good authority that it is an under- 

 estimate.) 



The following is from a paper read by Professor Love before the 

 Chautauqua Society of History and Natural Science, July 16, 1885. 

 Referring to the article in the Journal he says : 



" When we arrived at the farm we found the rain of the previ- 

 ous night had filled the excavated portion of the sink with water 

 to the deph of 2 or 3 feet. At the limit of the digging on the 

 eastern side stood a bank or wall of the muck about 4^2 feet high. 

 After reopening the ditch and draining off a part of the water, we 

 commenced an examination of this bank, in which the lower jaw 

 was soon found. It was nearly 3 feet from the surface; the sides 

 were crushed together, the right side of the jaw being uppermost. 

 It was removed with great care in a blanket, but the upper (right) 

 half crumbled into small pieces as soon as it was exposed to the 

 air for a few minutes. I am of opinion that the animal died in 

 his tracks from some natural cause. He may have been drowned 

 or mired, but if so the sink must have been at that time much 



