CHAPTER XIV. 
THE MASTODON AND THE WOOLLY RHINOCEROS. 
“ Of one departed world 
I see the mighty show.” 
Another elephantine monster, evidently allied to the Mammoth, 
was the Mastodon, a creature which there is reason to think was 
contemporary, in America, with the men of a prehistoric age. It 
was so named by Baron Cuvier to distinguish it from the Mammoth, 
with which it was by others considered identical; and his dis- 
crimination of the two forms marked an important and early step 
in the history of palaeontology. The chief difference between 
these two extinct types lies in their molar teeth. These, on 
cutting the gum, must have exhibited a number of somewhat 
conical protuberances of a mammiform appearance; hence the 
name.^ As these points were worn down by mastication, the 
surface of the tooth showed a series of discs of various sizes. 
The teeth were covered by a very thick coat of dense, brittle 
enamel. There are, however, differences in the bony framework 
of the animal, as well as in its general proportions, which serve 
to distinguish it from the Mammoth ; but it will not be necessary 
to enter into these matters here, for this is difficult ground, even 
to the student who is well versed in anatomy. Notwithstanding 
a vast amount of observation on the subject, considerable differ- 
ences of opinion have prevailed among palaeontologists with 
^ GxQQk—?nastoSy teat ; odous, odontos^ tooth. 
