Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1865-10-11
the rUsK POUND AT BRATTLEBORo.

THE FUsK FOUND AT BRATTLEBOR0.
The following communication 10 the
Rutland Herald will be read with much
| interest:
Editor Rutland Heyald: Please permit
me through your paper to acknowledge IN
behalf of the State, the receipt Of rare
aud beautiful donation for the State Cab
iuet from d. s. Pratt. Esq, Of Brattle-
boro, Vt.
1t consists of the tusk of an elephant
/ (or possibly a ,nastsdon which was found
buried about six feet deep in peat swamp
on the farm of Mr.. Pratt, one mile west
of Brattleboro village The tusk was
nearly four feet in length, but unfortn-
nately the workmeu, who supposed it to be
piece of wood. in trying to pry 1T out OF
their way, broke it asundcr nearly in the
middle.
evidently had also been broken when
the elephant was living for it shows signs
of an old fracture at the smaller end,
which is three inches in diameter,
and appears rounded as if made so by the
living animal. .
Having lain for centuries in that wet
bed, which was originally pond, but
afterwards filled with vegetable matter,
the tusk was quite soft and pulpy when
first taken out, aud in drying it inclined
to crack and crumblc, but hope by sat,
urating it with glue and keeping it tho
roughly bound with Irvine till it dries,
shall be able to preserve it in good cotidi-
ton for the Cabinet.
In the peat bed from which the tusk
was taken are numerous sticks and billets
of wood with the bark peeled off and as
clean and white as though they had been
buried but few days, but having been
80 long submerged they have become soft,
pulpy and very tender. On their ends
are distinctly and Enthusiastically shown
the tooth marks of beaver or some 9th
er aquatic rodent that cut them off and
and dragged them into the pond. as bea.
vers do in unfroqacnted ponds in the West
at the present day. The tusk has also at
both ends and at other places on it. tooth
marks of the same animal--probably made
after it had been long soaked and become
soft .. ....
Possibly beavers may have dragged this
tusk into the pond from the skeleton of
an elephant that died upon land near by.
but it is moro probable that wheh attack
oil by some fatal disease. the elephant re-
sorted TO the pond for drink to quench
its feverish thirst, or perhaps to cool itself
by bathing in its waters, and near the
spot where the tusk was found
The remaining PORTIONS Of the skeleton
may have been wholly destroyed by the
beavers but it is more probable that the
bony portions, which are not as durable
as the tusk, have completely crumbled in
to dust, and perhaps the remaining tusk
and the teeth were removed by beavers or
or other agencies to places not as favora.
ole for their preservation, and they too
have become disintregrated and united
with thc material that forms that immense
bed of peat. ..su.
This is the third elephants tusk that
Vermont has produced The first was
found at Mt. Holloy, and is now in the
State Cabinet; the second was found at
Richmond and is in the University Cabi-
net at Burlington.
In this connection permit me to appeal
to all who are cnriching their farms by
the fertilizing elements contained in muck
and peat beds, to be particularly watchful
and carefully preserve all the bones or all
imal remains found in them and if not
satisfied beyond doubt what they are
to call Immediately upon some one who
will be likely to determine their true
character and name. 1t is from these
records that men are TO learn the unwrit-
ten history of our globe. a..
Acknowledging great personal obliga-
ton to Mr. Pratt for his generous dona-
ton, remain, respectfully.
ALBERT d. HAGAR,
Curator of State Cabinet.
g. A despatch from Columbia, S. G.,