JVbtices of Big-bone Lick. 169 



opinion of M. Cuvier, do not differ essentially from those of the 

 fossil Siberian, have always formed part of the collections made 

 at Big-bone Lick. Until recently, they had always been found 

 detached, and in small numbers. 



It has been also stated that the elephant's teeth found here, 

 were in a great state of decomposition; from which circumstance^ 

 and the absence of bones, it has been argued that they were of 

 greater antiquity than the mastodon. But the facts are quite 

 otherwise, as will presently appear. 



Remains of elephants, there can be no doubt, formed part of 

 those carried away from this place by General Harrison, and 

 those who preceded him. But what portions, and how many, 

 whether teeth or bones, or both, cannot now be determined. 

 Turner, in 1797, indicated the teeth as different from those of 

 the mastodon, though he did not know what animal they were 

 from. « 



Goforth states, that he got many teeth of elephants, " some 

 weighing 12lbs." besides tusks, that he supposed were elephants' 

 which is very probable. 



Governor Clark brought away several elephants' teeth. Three 

 were sent to France, and most of the remainder are preserved in 

 the cabinet of the American Philosophical Society. But they 

 were all detached molars without any bone, except the lower 

 jaw bones of a young individual mentioned by Wistar, which 

 miscarried on their way from Washington to Philadelphia, and 

 do not appear to have been ever recovered. 



Many elephants' teeth, from Big-bone liick, are shown in the 

 public museum at Cincinnati. They are likewise separate teeth. 



Among the teeth that I procured therein the year 1828, were 

 four of elephant, all remarkably sound, and as free from decay 

 as any teeth of mastodon I have ever seen, from Big-bone Lick 

 or elsewhere. Indeed one of them, which was accidentally broke 

 in getting, appears so fresh and sound within, that if I had not 

 seen it taken out of the muddy stream myself, I might have been 

 tempted to suspect some deception, like that mentioned by Cu- 

 vier, when a dealer tried to impose upon him by incrusting an 

 African elephants' tooth with marl. Another is an anterior milk 

 molar, like that seen in the head of the Asiatic elephant, figured 

 by Cuvier, pi. IV. f. 5 h. 



Among the remains disinterred in 1830, was an unusually 



Vol. L— 22 



