136 Branner — Fossil Remains of Mammals in Brazil. 



the road leading to Pedra Pintada is a place known as Lageiro, 

 where an excavation was made in the rock basin very similar 

 to that already described and for similar purposes. Here again 

 I found many fragments of bones of mastodons and of other 

 mammals, some of them of enormous size, and others smaller 

 than those of the mastodon. 



On the road leading from Lagoa da Lagea to Aguas Bellas 

 at a place known as Lagoa Cavada is another excavation from 

 which it is said many fossil bones were taken. An examina- 

 tion of the soil thrown out at this place failed to disclose any 

 such fossils however. 



Large fossil bones were reported to me to have been found 

 at Meirus, a small town three leagues northeast of Pao d' Assucar. 

 I did not see either the excavation or the fossils at this place, 

 but I learned from several intelligent gentlemen that while 

 excavations were being made several years before for making 

 a watering pond for cattle, bones many times as large as those 

 of an ox were found in the soil. It was reported that when 

 this fact became known the government sent persons to pre- 

 serve these fossils and that the best of them were sent away — 

 where I was unable to learn. 



In every instance that came to my attention the fossils have 

 been taken from what were originally ponds, pools or marshes 

 of fresh water that have subsequently silted up and have been 

 discovered in the digging of artificial reservoirs. 



The region in which these large fossils occur so abundantly 

 is one now subject to prolonged drouths, and I am disposed to 

 think that the circumstances under which these bones Occur 

 suggest, at least, that the animals died of thirst. To any one 

 visiting the drouth regions of Brazil between August and 

 January this explanation seems to be a very natural one. The 

 whole country is parched save the narrow strips of gradually 

 disappearing green along the water courses. The country is 

 but thinly populated and the chief industry is cattle-raising. 

 Beyond these green belts one may travel for many a league 

 without finding a sign of water. When, as often happens, the 

 dry season is prolonged beyond its normal length, the suffering 

 of the cattle is extreme. They are obliged to eat the pulp of 

 the cacti that grow throughout this region, and the herdsmen 

 obtain water for them by digging holes in the sand of the dry 

 river beds. In long drouths, especially when they last for an 

 entire year or even for several years, this source of water sup- 

 ply fails and the cattle must either be driven toward the coast, 

 where water may be had, or they must be left to perish. Under 

 the protection of man cattle may now survive the longest 

 drouths, but left to themselves it is doubtful whether they 



