GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



49 



common in Virginia, was recognizable ; the whole of 

 this being enveloped in a kind of sack, which was re- 

 garded as the stomach of the animal, so as to leave little 

 doubt that it consisted of the identical substances which 

 the animal had devoured." 



M. Cuvier further remarks, p. 222, " Indications of 

 the sojourn, or passage of the sea over the remains of 

 these animals appear to be more rare than in the case 

 of the elephant bones; I have never seen any remains of 

 shells or zoophites on the bones of the great Mastodon 

 which I have examined." 



During the exploration made by Lieut. Col. S. H. 

 Long, at Big-bone-lick, in 1824, great quantities of the 

 remains of the elk and bison, both recent and fossil, 

 were disinterred along with the bones of the Mastodon. 



From the facts and observations above detailed, to- 

 gether with others of a similar nature, that might be 

 produced, we are led to the conclusion that the great 

 Mastodon, and other similarly situated animals, must 

 have ceased to exist, at a period much more recent than 

 is generally supposed. There are no evidences of its 

 existence prior to the last general cataclysm. They 

 may even have disappeared, together with the fossil elk, 

 or moose, of Ireland, since the creation of man, though 

 long previous to his earliest historical records. 



Much has been written of late by inexperienced in- 

 dividuals, containing romantic descriptions of the re- 

 mains of monstrous extinct quadrupeds, disinterred in 

 various parts of our country, and which are calculated 



to produce much confusion when they attract the attcn- 

 Vol, L—G 



