The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-25
NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, AUGUST rs, 1855

'NDAY, AUGUST rs, 1856
Aside from the testimony OF the respectable gentsmAa 70
whom am indebted for these specimens the mart a.
tacbed 10 them well their color. lett doubt Ia
placed in the cabinet Of the South Carolns College
fine tooth OF mastodon, found under similar orcumstan
mems were found everything the eoceue near the santes
Canal but these believe are not supposed 70 be derived
nom that formation
AT sever a. localities Ia Alabama remains OF mAstodon
occur In superficial deposits.
Throughout the West the remains of the elephant have
been found instance associated with marine shells.
but in shells of terrestrial and fresh water
origin, belonging to existing species, do occur and from
this fact has been hastily inferred that these deposits
were OF extremely modern origin perhaps mPorary
with man viii be found, however, that these shells
form no reliable guide in estimating the antiquity Of these
deposits, since IL is remarkable fact that In Europe aud
South America, where river and land shells
ciated with fossl mammala evea OF the newer Piocine
iIes Ue.ons 70 exisnos species anus a. ofeat
fresh water shells OF existing species So too in the
osserous caves Of Brazil, the remains OF extinct mann
malta like the megatheirm are associated with existing
species OF land shell 9. II therefore admits OF no doubt
that on both continents race OF mammals has sprang
into existence, hoursbgd and become extinct while the
changed
In Europe the e,iphas pamgem,s had vide seographi-
a range. Its remains have been found from the Arctic
to the Mediterranean there originated riy in the
Pocine, and survived through the whole OF the
the terraces, for it's remains found for example, in
The cias Of Norfolk, Ecgisnd, beneath the drift in the
oess OF northern German " aud in the ice cliffs the
mouth OF the Lena, which have encased them
lime when that portion OF the continent had assumed
reary it's present level
There arc two localities in the British isles where the
bones of elephant have been foaad entonbed in ia
waffle acustme deposits, supposed TO be above the
drift. " 1t is not difficult T. conceive, (remarSs De la
Beohe Geological, ODserver,) that these mammals may
have visited the British Isles again connected with the
maj land (supfosng that the area had been submerged
III. "A m
In lacusne and fuvatile deposits, above the marine
cumuatloas found during the interval of depression
Assuming only one submergence sufficient TO discon
the British Isles followed by elevation sufficient
TO restore the connection would be inferred that scs
time and huviate bccumua,ons would be the highest
amid which should expect to discover the remains Of
the elephAs pfmgenius and bis contemporary mammals
Is'has hitherto been asserted by almost every oseoo
gst that the elephant OF this country was identical with
that OF Europe. This however, as will be shown in
subsequen part OF this article, matter OF exceeding
doubt IT. however this should be found true, and il the
prevailing notions the Simultaneous origin OF species
in different parts of the earth be correct author
lied in the nererce that the elephant appeared before
the entire cessation OF the DRIFT agencies and survived
long this continent the eastern, and that the
causes, whatever they may have been which led to his
extinction, not local. but general in their operation
During the past season have obtained from the banks
OF the Skunk river Iowa three specimens belonging TO
iopemert, OF the family OF extinct dcotyune. In the
peccer OF the present age recognized the nearest
living representative To DR.. John Iecoae we are in
debted tor hest knowledge of the existence Of this
type in North America, from specimens procured IN the
lead assures about Caena; aud Dr. Leidy has given
memoir which he is about to revise, embracing all the
This loan deposit older than the alluvia bottoms and
yet clearly dsins Unstable from the drifts Of the plains
have observed it in all OF the principal valleys OF Iowa,
while occupies the geological position the PED
BILE deposits ofIllnos, Indiana and Ohio
In bulk he was twice the size OF the existing Species
and was adapted to a wide geographical range. Contem
porary with these pachy derms was the masodon IN g
weight The fossil beaver fcasorods Oiioesis, tenant
ed the streams and lakes Herds of cattle (Bos b0nbro
ard Bison ia.prom, roamed over the plains, while
the apr waowed IN the swamps La the milder regions
OF the South visited by the elephant and the mssodon
their mieraons, lived the great leaf eating megathenun,
horse the elk and the deer ali belonging TO extinct spe
ces while at the head of the carnvora stood the coos
sal lion Ielis Atoz L) which then as now, was mo
from all the facts am disposed to believe that the
fossil elephant commenced his existence before the drift
higher level when the contours ofthe Continent diff
fereut when different climate prevailed, and when
time when the valleys excavated by the retiring
waters and the streams assumed nearly their pr sent
direction was period OF erosion. which ought % be
marked by distinct geological monuments. would desig
nate 1t as the Fiuveatile period.
Although instances the remains of the elephant
and the mastodon are found side by side there de
rosis in which elephant eniombed apparent
older than any that contain those OF the mas0d0n aud
the same time there are dePo.its apparently newer
Elephant have been found. The Inference, there
ore night be drawn that although at time contem
oAhiss tue onc WAS int'uAuStu inc Vtucf
urvived later.
Contemporary with these fossil pacny are the fos
Al the close Professor SrIN,s made some remarks on
the paper which he considered OF the highest value lie
noticed as curious fac, that the mastodon had never
Professor H1HcocK thought ths, period OF the mas
iodons was much more remote than was generally sup
posed by biologists He believed that Niagara had worn
seven mites iuio The rock since they were on lie earth
He said they did not survive nearly to the human
epoch.
means OF preserving fossil bones
Professor Hail then made q communication on some
points In the geology OF the Upper Mississippi Valley.
This led TO remarks by Professors wnryxY aud DAY.
MRS, which were OF no public interest.
Professor IxsIK then read paper on the geology OF
the Broadiop Coal Region in Central Pennsylvania.
The session then adjourned,
PHYSICAL SECTION.
The chai! was taken by Prof Bartlett.
ASTRONOMY.
Prof MITCHELL proceeded to a report on tho ne.
method 81 observation now use the Cncinnsu obser
vatory -
l. New method Of right ascension, as 10 s limit or &C
. New method OF decina,on, TO lis limit Of accu.
rscy.
Q. New method Of determining personal equation and
personal error.
I. New method Of determining instrumental errors.
8. New method OF determining clock errors.
8. observations on change, o. figure OF materials.
He said that nj the asi meeting of the Association In
Albany, aconmi,iee was appointed 10 memotalize Co..
gross for an appropriation Tor the subject OF uvestgat
ngl into the methods Of observation then In ths
country and he requested the withdrawal OF that memo.
rial and had since been occupied in investigating the
himself Great accuracy had been reached BY ihe
OF science this country. The pointing OF Autograph
u The grand object TO be achieved II any person
point a telegraph and tell whore II points, 1t Il
ali that be askei. The Professor proceeded TO
state this method OF right ASCENSION aud to
enquire 10 lis limits Of accuracy series OF artificial
stars used, and the experiments made. An observer
OF there artificial stars note the moment passes
the meridian wire within the eighteenth thorsandths OF
second of Experiments made "a
stars In order 10 0certaD the error due TO the Amos
pherc. The moment OF the transit marked on the
disc with all the accuracy that could be attained and the
result showed the average 20 the cghthousantbs
OF second OF time He then proceeded 10 explain