The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-10-04
IMPORTANT FACT IN ZOOLOGY.
BY WHICH 1T APPEARS THAT THE MAMMOTH
WAS AN HERBivoRoUs ANIMAL.

imrONIhNl FACT in ZOOLOGY,
BY WHICH 1T APPEARS THAT THE MAMMOTH
WAS AN HERBivoRous ANIMAL.
SupPotng every one of our readers already
acquainted with the leading circumstances in
the natural h'ftory of the Mammoth, that won-
der OF the animal kingdom, whole gigantic re.
mains have been found for number of wears
pait and till are frequently d;fcovered. parti.
cularly in Siberia, and North America. we
ihall forbear to expatiate in this place on the
iubject of that mott curious iucoenitum. Suf
nee 1t to obierve that the difcovery of fuch en-
ormous remains has given birth to various fa-
bles, conjeetures, and theories. Among rude
nations, ignorance and credulity have eagerly
embraced and perpetuated extravagant tales
respecting the Mammoth. The Siberians az
iert thatit lives under ground; and our NORTH
Weitern Indians have hurled aganft it the thun-
| der>olts of the Great Spirit, 70 as TO make the
monitor fpring over the Wabafh, the Illinois,
ana the great Lake, where it is now confined
! IN the Scientific world. two di1imilar principles,
Scept'c'fn, and the bold Spirit of conjecture
and fy'tem have produced intakes, perhaps.
10 'efs extraordinary. A. firn, the remains al
luded to were by fome Naturaliits attributed
to the Elephant, Whit others advocated the
Intt claim OF the hiDpopotsmus to the fame
When. in procefs of time, the light thrown on
the fubieet by comparative anatomy determine
| ed that they mutt have belonged 10 huge non.
detcript animal difintt from either, doubt
fnl point Fill exifted, and invited the attention
Of the nquifitive. " Was that animal carnjvo.
rous, or herh'vorous Each fide of the quef-
ton long boafted luxurious Importers. ce-
lebrated Engliih anatomiR, DR.. Hunter, was, at
| length, ind ced by the form and competition
OF the teeth, to declare the unknown animal
carnivorous. His opinion became moltly
prevalent. By fome, however, who were un-f
willing entirely to abandon favourite idea
II was contended that the Mammoth was an
animal of the MKT kind, that is, capable, like
man, the Monkey, the hog Sc. of feeding both
UPON fiefh ard upon vegetable fubfances. O.
thers, on the contrary, adopted, without any
| modification, Hunters idea, and declared the
Mammoth pofitively and exclnfively carnivor-
Gus. After the decifon of that point, which
row appeared fcarcelv TO admit of doubt, GU
r'oiity and inveftgaton were excited by ano-
! ther topic OF enquiry. This was to afcertain
the element on which the Mammoth ufed to
live. In general, it has been confdered by Ma
| tnralilts AS terreftria animal. Some, however,
! from certain indications in its ftru6ture, have
pronounced it amphibious nay, comic tfure has
gone 10 tar as to align to it favourite kind of
animal food. According to Mr.. Rembrandt
Peale See literary magazine for January, 1904
i ii chiefly lived on fhell-i(h.
There is rational fcepticifrn iufly recon-
mended by the great Bacon to the iovSrs of
knowledge. Philosophical doubt ought to he
carried into every department of fcience. Re-
peated experiments, accumulated facts, long
ana attentive obfervations can alone imprint
on orr theories the facred feal of truth. and ef.
tablIih our opinions a permanent BATS
The fact contained in the following commu-
n'catIon ftrongly, we might fay vietorioullv,
INITIATES againft the earniporouy do7rine OF
this more hereafter. The Skeleton and the
materials found within it are to be lodged and
preterVed in Wm and Mary College. Wemav,
then, give representation of the fame, and
treat at large this intereftipg fibject.
We cannot, however, difnifs the fuhiee
without paying to the learned Bilhop Madifon
the juf homage which his indefatigable zeal in
the cauie Offence merits. To that gentleman
natural hiftory will he indebted for the prefer
walton OF fact 70 important and 70 Satisfactory.
1t is new, and, certainly, a very valuable fer
vice rendered by him to the votaries of fold
knowledge. We hope that he will not ftop at
a communication of the fact tfelf, but that he
VIII, with his uiual fagacity, anayze this inter-
citing diicovery, and communicate his conclu-
hons to the world. The refult of his laff fun.
mer-fou', was a very judicious and philofopbic
paper reipeeting the pretended antiquities and
Notifications in the Weftern country, which
may be teen in the laf vol. of the TrayL19;oUs
. Of the finer. Pbii05. Society. The prefent fub-
leet is equally worthy of his attention another
error is to be difpelled; and truth does not pof.
iefs more active friend.
e" Facts, fays Mr.. Madifon, fummon the DIFF
cordant opinions of philosophers before an I'M.
a errIng tribunal, from which there can be no
f appeal. The queftion, whether the Mammoth
was carnivorous an herbvorous animal
= has long divided naturalifs; ingenuity, fup.
ported by analogy, afforded fpecious arguments
tor either opinion. One fact, which the bofcm
0f nature had concealed, but which human in.
] duitry has recently brought to light, has reno.
we'd every doubt. In digging well, in p ace
o which afforded indications of marine falt, pac
4 iage was made through the contents of the TO.
o mach of that watt animal. The novelty of the
iubtances, thus found, excited attention. They
a were carefully examined, and feem to be half.
maltlcated reeds, and twigs of trees with erafs
:; whit the bones of the Mammoth which were
!. dug up at the fame time, and which Law ccrti.
guous to thefe fubfances, evinced that they had
been the contents of that animal. Thefe con.
tents are in fate of entire prefervation have
. been feen by hundreds, and were found, toee
: ther with the bones, refinp upon lime-Rone
=, rock, about five and half feet under ground
) IN the county of Wythe, in Virginia. A part
of the contents with the n eta.or -. a.