2 DR. G. M. DAWSON ON MAMMOTH-REMAINS [Feb. 1 894, 



As Campbell's posts on tbe Upper Yukon were finally abandoned 

 in 1852, tbe bone thus referred to by him must have been sent out 

 before this date. It was a tibia, not a thigh-bone, and was de- 

 scribed by Sir John Richardson in 1855 as referable to Elephas 

 primigenius. Richardson states that it was identical in form with, 

 though larger than, a corresponding bone of the same animal brought 

 back by Capt. Beechey from Eschscholtz Bay. The skeleton of which 

 it formed part was said to be complete when found ; but most of the 

 bones were lost by the Indians who extracted them for Campbell. 

 According to a statement subsequently obtained from Campbell, 

 these bones were found at some place not far from the former site 

 of Fort Selkirk, at the confluence of the Lewes and Pelly Rivers. 1 



Dr. W. H. Dall in 1866-67, during his connexion with the 

 Western Union Telegraph Expedition (abandoned on the completion 

 of the Atlantic Cable), visited a number of places in the lower 

 valley of the Yukon, within what is now the Territory of Alaska. 

 In the volume which resulted from his explorations, and in other 

 publications, he frequently mentions the occurrence of Mammoth- 

 remains in this region, writiug in one place as follows : — 



" Wild and exaggerated stories have found a place, even in 

 official documents, in regard to fossil ivory. This is not uncommon 

 in many parts of the valley of the Yukon and Kuskoquim. It is 

 usually found on the surface, not buried as in Siberia, and all that 

 I have seen has been so much injured by tbe weather that it was 

 of little commercial value. It is usually blackened, split, and so 

 fragile as to break readily to pieces. A lake near Nushergak, the 

 Inglutalik River, and the Kotlo River are noted localities for this 

 ivory ". 2 



In 1886 the Geological Survey of Canada acquired from Mr. F. 

 Mercier, who had spent many years as a trader in the Yukon 

 region, a number of bones, tusks, and teeth of the Mammoth. 

 These were chiefly obtained by Mr. Mercier near the mouth of the 

 Tanana River, one of the main feeders of the Yukon on tbe south 

 side. Mr. J. F. Whiteaves, F.G.S., Palaeontologist to the Geological 

 Survey of Canada, has kindly furnished the subjoined note on these 

 remains : — 



" In my judgment all the Elephantine remains collected by 

 Mr. Mercier in the Yukon region, and now in our Museum, are 

 clearly Elephas (sub- genus Euelephas) and not Mastodon. 



" Four of the specimens collected by Mr. Mercier are perfect 

 molars, essentially similar to those from Burlington Heights, near 

 Hamilton, Ontario, which E. Billings referred to Elephas Jacksoni 

 of Briggs and Foster, but which Dr. Falconer subsequently iden- 

 tified with E. primigenius, Blumenbach. 



" The specific relations of the North American fossil Elephants 



1 'Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. 'Herald," (1854) p. 142; Am. Journ. 

 Sci. ser. 2, vol. xix. (1855) p. 132 ; Annual Eeport, Geol. Surv. Canada, 1887, 

 p. 41 B. 



2 ' Alaska and its Eesources,' 1870, pp. 238, 460, 479 ; Am. Journ. Sci. 

 ser. 2, vol. xlv. (1868) p. 99. 



