10 AMKHK AX M I'SKIM (.IIDE LEAFLETS 



the Kskinio of such an animal still existing is j)r()l)ahly the result of 

 iiKjuiries hy white explorers who provided the natives with the evidence 

 as to aj)|)earance and liahits of tlie animal. There is nothing impossible 

 about these stories, but investigation has failed to show any valid evidence 

 for them. 



Skeleton of the Mammoth from Indiana. This fine skeleton was dis- 

 covered on the farm of Dora S. (iift near Jonesl)oro, Ind., and purchased 

 for the Museum in \\)()\. The feet and some of the liml) bones were miss- 

 injjf, otherwise it was fairly complete. The tusks were complete and in 

 j)osition when first found, crossing each other as in the mounted skeleton. 

 This was demonstrated by .sounding with an iron rod in the muck in which 

 the skeleton lay buried. Unfortunately they were badly damaged by the 

 finder in an unskilful attempt to get them out. After purchase by the 

 Museum the tu.sks were repaired and the missing bones modelled in plaster 

 mainly from casts of the fine .skeleton of an allied sj)ecies in the Paris 

 nuiseum, and the .skeleton was mounted in 1906. The po.se is based upon 

 careful studies of the Indian elephant. The .skeleton was at first thought 

 to represent the Columbian elephant, but recent studies by Dr. O. P. Hay 

 led him to conclude that it should be referred to the true mammoth. The 

 restored limb and foot t)ones are probably somewhat too large and robust. 



Size of the Mammoth. It would be natural to suppose that this 

 animal was so called on account of its gigantic size. In fact, however, the 

 derivation of the word is the other way about — the name of the extinct 

 monster has passed into a synonym for hugeness and massive proportions. 

 It is derived originally from the old Tartar designation, mama 'ntu, by 

 which the remains found in Central Asia were called when first brought to 

 the knowledge of western nations. The name is said to signify "earth- 

 mouse" and to })e connected with Chinese legends concerning the animal 

 which lived underground and perished when it came to the light of day. 



The northern mammoth was not in fact any larger than the modern 

 Indian elephant, despite exaggerated notions as to its j)roportions. It was 

 not as tall nor as bulky as the largest African elephants, nor was it as large 

 as .some of the other extinct species of more southerly range. The skeleton 

 mounted in this mu.seum probably represents the maxinuim size; the 

 Siberian mammoths and those from Alaska are considerably smaller. 



The Columbian Elephant, Elcplias columbi Falconer, is a near relative 

 of the mannnotli and the Indian elephant, distinguished ])y tlie coarser 

 plates of the teetli, and attaining a .somewhat larger size. It inhabited 

 most of the I'nited States and Mexico, its range overlaj)j)ing on the 

 mannnoth to the north and the Imi)erial elei)hant to the .southwest. It is 



»Osborn. 1907. Hull. Am. Mu.s. Nat. Hist., vol xxvii. pp. 255-2.'i7. 

 Hay. 1<)12, Ami. Kip. Dopt. Geol. Nat. Kes. Indiana for 1011. pp. 719-722. 



