Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1866-02-02
Discovery OF Wonderful Organic Re-
mains.

mains.
On Meagher's Bar, opposite Nevada, have
been discovered fossils that unmistakably
prove that this part of the world was, at
one time, inhabited by race of beings
who stood in maturity from ten to twelve
feet high; and by species of quadruped
at least twice as large as the Asiatic ele
phant. They were imbedded about eight
feet, in what might be termed close di-
luvial deposit, andin what the confguration
of the country was once the eddy Of a
river.
As an evidence of the former, we now
have before rs the jaw aw-bone-snatomieally
termed the inferior moriliary-of biped
which is almost double the size of any or
dinary hpp'xn jaw; bone. From point e
point Of the condyle--tHe upper projec-
tions, where junction is made. with the
corresponding parts above-this fossil
measures fully five, inches. 1t is in =
perfect state Of preservation-so perfect
that, had itbeen ofordinsry size, one would
have supposed that its owner had not made
his Cor herr exit from the ''vale of tears"
over fifteen or twenty years ago. The en-
amel Of the teeth still remains bright and
uninj ured by the action of FIRE, water, cr
air. Not tooth is lost They comprise
six grinders or molars (the usual number)
and ten others. being sixteen in all. They
have been much worn by the labor of mas
tication, which fact proves that this Amer
lean Goliath did not cease to use them
until they had prepared for his stomach
the food of many years-perhaps not until
the other functions of his physical organi-
zation had weakened from cd age, when
the utility of the teeth ceased, though
decay had not yet marked them by single
perforation The fact is also good con-
jectural argument, that this being belonged
to q race similar in their habits to the ex-
istiug tribes Of natives, who, even in their
old ages, arc notable for the fine state of
their teeth. The jaw.bone is the only
portion Of the remains we have seen; but
ribs aud other bones were found near the
spot, which undoubtedly belonged to the
same individual MS they are all of proper
tionatc size. 1t has been cstimated by
members Of the medical fraternity here
that the height of this biped could not have
been less than ten and one-half, and might
have reached twelve feet.
The proof of an extinct race of quadru-
peds, or Of species at least, that were twice
as large as any now extant, is tho discovery
Of an enormous molar tooth, which was
found along with a monster jaw boDe.-
The crown or top of this tooth measures,
the longer way, exactly six inches, and il
is four in width the root or part invested
by, or sunk beneath the gum, measures
-ovorsevcn inclrs. The II usasufcmeBtfrom
top to bottom Chat is, in its natural posi-
tion) is between eight and nine inches,
being but little greater in depth than in
length on the top. Judging from our very
limited knowledge of paeieontology, the
animal which carried this tooth was rami.t
and herbivorous The crown Of the tooth
is marked by numerous transverse ridges,
thickly enameled. The enamel is bright
and, in many places as we'll preserved as
if on the tooth of living animal. These
ridges are deep and are rounding on the
top, indicating adaptability to bruising in
mastication rather than cutting, on the
carniverous, or fesh-eating order The
tooth is partially petrifed, and has indica-
tons of having been long while buried.
Upon exposure to the air a fragment
crumbled off, and fully half of it is in a
state of petrefactioa. Had it not been for
the cnamel-ths most indcstructible of
substances-and this petrifyins process, it
is doubtful that its form would have been
50 long preserved.
This mOlar may have belonged to the
mastodon species, or an enormous tyne Of
the elephant. But we are told that tooth
of similar outlines. but three times as large,
has cen found in Deer-lodge County, in
this Territory Gentlemen in this place
have seen it. This would seem to indicate
an extinct quadrupcdal race. larger than
remains have yet been found of, in Europe
or other parts of North America. The
great mastodon skeleton in the Philadelphia
Museum is fifteen feet long and eleven feet
| high; but think ola tooth foot and hall
long, and a foot wide on the topl
The carcass Of an elephant was found
in the present century, in the frozen mud
ard sand of Siberia, preserved in it. en-
tircty. It's skin was covered with hair OF
fur, but all else indicated Jond fde Gle
plant. In 177l the carcass of a rhinocer.
os, also, was found in the same regions
The icy shores Of the Polar Ocean, in
Northeastern ASH, abound, it is said, with
the bones of these animals now only known
in the tropics. What mighty convulsion
of nature caused their cxtinction2 anC
how far did its influence extend? Did no
the great upheaving break asunder land
connection that once existed between th,
two hemisphcres? One Arctic explorer
reports having found fossil tropical plants
species of the palm buried beneath tht
perennial SHOWS of Kamschatka. This, Al
we'll as the Siberian fossils, point to com
plete and permanent climatical revolution
May not these facts bear upon the iheor,
of our Indian tribes coming from th
Eastern hemisphere? Was there not
time when, with even open canoes, such a
the northern coast Indians now use, the,
could have c.ossed?- Montana Post.
TO Protect BedStcads Against Yer
min.
AS the scason is near ut hand when ever,
good housewife will be on the alert to fore