The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-12-03
From the Usage Valley.
DISCOVERY OF LARGE BONES.


DISCOVERY OF LARGE BONES
The great West is ahordng TO the learned and Gu
rious vast and varied field for speculation in the
various departments of science Ii is filling the mu-
seums and cabinets of the world with minerao-
gcal and geological specimens while il is afording
still more extraordinary and perplexing problems to
the naturalist
The recent discovery of bones by Messrs. Case and
Redman, of Warsaw, transcends any thing OF the
kind yet offered to the public both in point OF number
and size. The bones represent genus of animals
long since out Of existence. The age in which they
lived is remote that tradition does not reach
back to it. They were propably contemporary with
that OF man. who inhabited the pralres and for
est before the Indians whose history is only told by
the remains of their castles and Notifications which
were constructed "a on scientific principles OF which
no yestige is found among the aborgines.
The place where these bones were found, is about
two miles from town, and is Familiarity known by the
western people as a lick, There many seeps OF
brackis sulphur water, breaking through the ground
which has been resorted to by various animals, till
there is an of the ground excava ed to
the depth of eight or ten eet.-The homes were found
two or three feet below this surface, embedded on
black gravel The Iropability is that these ANNA Is
resorted TO this place. for the salt held in solution by
the water and heedessy plung ng themselves into the
mre frequently unable, Notwithstanding their
gigantic strength, to extricate themselves, and thus
their remains accumulated to such an amount.
The number of different heads found amounts to
seventy eighty, aud the large amount of detached
teeth shows that greater number Of these monsters
has found common grave IN tins basin. The bones
which are found the head Of this basin, in
much better state of preservation than those nearer
the outlet The skeletons of various species of ami
mails found deposited in this basin, the buffalo,
elk, deer, &c. There two species only found
which worthy of admiration of the one there
are but few specimens only teeth and part Of
the maxillary bones in which they were set These
teeth are assured on the Sides much like the ele-
plants moar teeth and smooth their masticating
surface, which measures II by Ia inches The other
species of bones, which are great in number, and
stupendous size, have differently shaped teeth, and
out of their superior maxiliary grows tusks some of
which % inches IN circumference, and III or II
feet long. The tusks not preserved entire.
They appear have been the finest quality Of ivory.
Many of the maxileary bones have the moars entire
and tightly retained in their sockets. These molar
teeth are or Q inches by or s. on their grinding
surface, with deep assures running them in
which the eminences of the antagonlsng molar play
ed. This formation of the molar of this animal is
very different from that e the genus herbiverous,
the grinders OF which have smooth contiguous
faces The inferior maxileary is armed with tusk
Is or 80 inches length. The femer is six seven
inches IN its centre diameter and presents artcu
latory surface with the actabuum of ID or II
inches. The connexion OF the bone of the fore leg
with the shoulder blade presents similarly large
| articulation. Few of the vertebra have resisted the
| corrosion OF time They entirely denuded OF
| their processes, that only observe a few
OF them the canal for the spinal marrow, which must
h ave been three or more inches in diameter.
striking PECULIARLY Of these bones is, that they
have no cavity for marrow, but solid bone. They
are moi petrihed but preserved as ossus matter
| which Is conclusive argument that they have not
! been Undecided many centuries We cannot fix the
time when these extraordinary animals ceased to be
! inhabitants OF the praries, or what caused the de-
! struction Of the whole genus. How could they so
violate the laws of nature to forfeit the existence
of their entire class This secret will probably al
ways be yelled in obscurity The natural philoso.
| pher find enough Of curiosity and perpexity on
this subject TO engage his leisure hours and the i'm
aginatiye may entertain himself by clothing these
mammoth bones with flesh, and studying what fig
ure the other ANNALS of creation presented in the
presence OF this locomotive mountain.