The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-04-13

REMARKABLE DIscovERIEs.-Lieut. G. r. Warren
OF the Typographical Engineers, publishes an inter
esting letter from Prof Leidy, regarding the dis
coyeries OF the Geologist who accompanied the ex-
petition last year, to explore the Niobrara River
This river sometimes called the Rapid river Running
water, and l. eau qui Court, corrupted to Qucourre
is about $50 miles long. Its is about 40 miles
north of Fort Laramie, and it discharges its waters
into the Missouri river in about gtude SO degrees
west from Greenwich. 1t flows between the AID
and Add parallels of north latitude in an easterly
direction, and for about half its is closed in
by high steep rocky banks, whose ravines par
TALLY clothed with pine trees. During the eXplora-
ton, many remains of extinct races of animals were
found in the valley of the river, and of these the
letter gives the following account:
The opinion of the geologist of your expedition,
DIR. Hayden, that the deposit from which the fossil
bones obtained, is of piocene age, appears to
be borne out by the anatomical characters of the
specimens. At least, the remains indicate animals
for the most part intermediate to those of the pres
ent period, and those whose traces form rich depos
ties in the miocene strata of the "Bad Lands"
arkable fact exhibited by the Niobrara fossils
is, that the fauna of the pliocene latter tertiary
period of this country, was much more nearly like
the recent one of the eastern hemisphere, than
own recent indigenous fauna. The collection is
particularly rich in remains of Illuminating and
equine animals, which mingled with those of
several carnivorous and knawng animals, together
with others OF a rhlnocerOs, mastodOn and an ele
plant.
Excepting species of deer all the ruminant re-
mains belong to extinct genera. One of these is
specially interesting, as it belonged to the camel
family, and was third less in size than the exist
ing camel. Another genus was allied to the musk
deer of Asia. third genus, indicated by few
teeth, was larger than any living ruminant. The
remaining genera, in which there are four species,
belong to the same family as Oreodon of the Bad
Land formation. This family, now entirely ex-
tnct, consisted of what might be call ed Illuminating
hogs, or suilne animals with the peculiar ruminant
habit.
Of equine animals, the collection contains indica-
lions of no less than eight species of six genera
One OF them was horse undistnguishable by its
remains from corresponding parts of the ordinary
domestic animal; and second a horse not
larger than Newfoundland dog. Two of the spe-
cles are allied to the more ancient equine genus
anchitherium; and two others are remarkable for
OF both sets in the recent horse. The remaining
common in the tertiary deposits OF Europe and
Asia.
The carnivora consist of canine and feline ami
mails Of the former, one was a wolf, larger han
any living species, and another small species
of fox.
The gnd,oers consist of small species of beaver and
species of porcupine.
The rhinoscerOs was about the size of the common
species now living in India The mastodon is of
different species from that whose remains so
abundanty distributed through later formations of
this country, and it considerably smaller. The
remains of the elephant indicate species larger
than any ever yet discovered extinct and recent.
Among the remains of manuals thus indicated, there
are mingled numerous fragments of bones of large
land turtle