Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-13
Respectfully, yours,
q Is. WARREN,
Lieut.. Typographical Engineers.
pun.AnrlrHrA. March a. Is5s.

PHILADELPHIA, March "a, 1883.
DEAR SIR: In accordance with your request
| send you a brief notice of the remains of
extinct animals collected 10y Dr. +. V. Hay
den in the valley of the Niobrara river, dur
ing your recent expedition to explore the rc-
gion of the Black Hill. Nebraska The opinion
of the geologist of your expedition, DR.. Hay
den, that the deposit from which the fossil
bones were obtain is of pliOcene age, ap-
pears to b. borne out by the anatomical char
acters of the specimens. At least the remains
indicate animals for the most part INTERN di-
ate 10 those of the present period. and those
whose traces form rich d poStes in the mio-
Gene strata of the Bad Lands y remarka-
bic fact exhibited by the Niobrara fossils is,
that the fauna of tie pliocene, or later ter
tiary period of this country, was much
more nearly like the recent one of the Eas-
terra hemi~ phgrc than our own recent indgcn-
Gus fauna.
The collection is particularly rich in re
mains of Illuminating and equine animals,
VIII ch are mingled with those of several car
nivorous aud guawing animals, together with
others of rhlnoc ~ros, mastodon, and an
elephant.
Excepting a species of deer all the rumi-
nant remains 10, long to extinct genera. One
of these is specially interesting. a. it belonged
10 the camel family. and was about third
less in siZa than the existing camel. Another
genus was ALI, TO the musk deer of Asia. \
third genus, indicated by few teeth, was lar
ger than any living ruminant. The remain
ing genera, of which there are four species.
belong TO the same family as Or,don of the
Bad Land formation. This family. now en-
tirely extinct, consisted of what might be
called Illuminating hogs of suiline animals
with the peculiar ruminant habit.
OF Equine animals the collection contains
indications of no less than eight species of
six genera. One of them horse undis-
tinguishable Icy its remains from correspond
ing parts of the ordinary domestic animal;
aad second was a horse not larger than a
Newfoundland dog. Two of the species are
allied To the more ancient equine gems an
ehitherium; aud two others are remarkable
for having their milk teeth constructed after
the plan OF both setsin the latter genus. while
the permanent teeth are like both sets in the
reeeat horse. The remaining two species be-
loag 10 the extinct genus Hipparion, common
in the tertiary deposit,s OF Europe and Asia.
The carnivora consist OF four cannie and two
feline animals. OF the former. one was
wolf larger than any living species, and
another was !, small species of fox.
The gadirers consist of small species of
beaver aud species Of porcupine.
The rhinocg rOs was about the size of the
common spccies now living in India. The
Biast1don is of n ditierent species from that
whose remains are so abundantly distributed
through later formations Of this country, aud
Il Was considerably smaller. The r mains of
the elephant Indicate "a species larger than
any ever Vet discovered, extinct and recent.
Among the remains of manuals thus indicated
there arr mingled humorous fragments Of
bones OF a large hand turtle.
\ more flll account OF this Interesting and
important collection, which has been one OF
the fruits of your exploring expedition, am
engaged In preparing, in due time 10 be for
warded 30 yoa an appendix % your report
10 the Government.
With respect, | subscribe myself at your
further service JOSEPH LEIpY.