DKCOVEEY OF A M^STODOU. 



Prof. Angelo Heilprin of the Academy of Natu- 

 ral Sciences of Philadelphia writes to the Public 

 Ledger that a mastodon of ponderous proportions 

 has, during the present week, been discovered in 

 the immediate vicinity of Philadelphia. The 

 ^ji^3_iE jiufl L-> the enthusiasm of two young stu- 

 feet. The unusually high water or xoa s^^BarE 

 had evidently only quite recently exposed so much 

 of the skeleton as was attainable at the time of 

 the visit — a portion of the upper jaw and the head 

 of one of the thigh bones— and it was clear from 

 the manner in which a number of bones were 

 found int'^r-associated that the true resting-place 

 of the animal had been found. 



The bones, which are mainly in a good stata of 

 preservation, were firmly embedded, and not un- 

 til after having partially diverted the course of 

 tbe stream was it possible to remove them from 

 the enclosing matrix. The head was found rest- 

 ing on its top surface, with a portion of one of 

 the molars of the upper jav exposed above the 

 water. Both tusks had been removed from their 

 sockets, and likewise one of the anterior molars; 

 fortunately, however, the former were recovered 

 by the two young men above mentioned in the 

 betl of the stream, a short distance below, and, 

 although no longer perfect, were still suffioient in 

 themselves to indicate a ponderous den- 

 tal armature. By closely feeling and grubbing 

 along the bottom of the stream, other parts of 

 tbe skeleton, such as the leg and arm-bones, rib.^, 

 etc., were successively vmcovered, and, doubtless, 

 further excavations will reveal the greater part, 

 if not the whole, of the skeleton. Through the 

 generosity of the first findeis. Messrs. Saltir and 

 McConnell, the parts have been donated to the 

 Academy of i^Tatural Sciences, whither they are 

 now being removed, and where they will ba 

 shortly placed on exhibition. No exact niea- 

 Eiuements of the bones have as yet been made, 

 bat they indicate an animal apparently equalling 

 if not surpassing a full-grown elephant in size. 

 Tbe species is p-obably Mastodon ijiyanteits. 



The remains of mastodons, wntes Prof. Heil- 

 prin, have been found at various times ia the 

 State of New Jersey, but it appears that none 

 either so wel' preserved or so perfect have been 

 determined since 1845, when, as reported by Sir 

 Charles Lyell, six skeletons were exhumed from a 

 drained pond in "Warren Coanty, in the north- 

 western part of the State. Five of these immedi- 

 ately crumbled, but the sixth one is stated to have 

 been preserved entire (even to the retention 

 cf the food contained in its stom-^ch I). The 

 whereabouts of this skeleton, if it at all exists. 

 Prof. Heilprin has been unable to discover. A 

 nearly perfect skeleton is reported to have been 

 excavated in the line of the Morris Canal, near 

 Schocley's Mountain, in 1827, and a similar one, 

 vvhich subsequently became the property of the 

 New York Jjyceum of Natural History, three 

 years before, in a swarap at Poplar, Monmouth 

 County. Fragments of teeth and bone have 

 been noted irom several other localities 

 and counties, and it appears that the animal 

 was an inhabitant of the greater portion of 

 the Sf ate. The latest important find m this di- 

 rection is the mast/jdon of Freehold, Monmouth 

 County, which was discovered on June 7, lbS2, 

 p,.r> t .11-.. 'i-^soribed by Mr. Samuel Lockwood, at 

 t 1 meeting of the American Associa- 



' Advancement of Science, in August 



.'•. It is interesting to note, as 

 present discovery at Pember- 

 le fame locality, some twenty 

 J '40, a mastodon craiiitim, unknown to be 

 -Xic Beversi years served as a steppias;- 



