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EXPLANATION 



VIGNETTE AND PLATES. 



VIGNETTE. 



This representation is intended to show the strata in and under which were found the re- 

 mains of the skeleton described in this work. It will also give a very clear notion of the 

 geological position of the Mastodon Giganteus in the Northern parts of the United States. 

 The view from which this is copied was of large size, and taken soon after the exhumation. 



Under the immediate superficies we see, first, a layer of peat, indicated by the dark color, a 

 foot or two in thickness ; second, a layer of red moss, not so thick as the peat, of a pinkish color ; 

 third, shell-marl imbedding the head, right anterior extremity, spinal column, part of the ribs 

 pelvis, and tail. The rest of the body and limbs lay in a muddy bottom, which inferiorly is 

 bounded by a stratum of clay. The position of the extremities shows, that the animal, at the 

 time of its destruction, was making strong efforts to extricate itself from the abyss into.which it 

 had unfortunately plunged. 



It must be understood that all these strata were covered by a bed of water varying in 

 thickness from one or two to six or eight feet, but not entirely disappearing, so as to leave the 

 surface dry, until the time of the exhumation. 



PLATE I. 



This plate is a representation of the five skeletons of the Mastodon Giganteus, which have 

 existed, without showing their comparative size or degree of completeness. In the references 

 which follow, the skeletons are arranged in the order of their discovery. 



The upper figure, on the left hand, is that of Mr. Peale, discovered in 1801, which was the 

 first approach to a regular skeleton. In 1802 it was transported to London, but subsequently 



