Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-12-17
TNTERESTEENs DISCOVERIES.
Exhuming tbe t2emaIns of megather
iums
IFro1h'51e ohio state Journai.I

LFuoahssae Ohio state JournalJ
There Is now on exhibition at tn,
rooms 'eI the State Board Of Agrieul
ture OF Head Quarters Of the Geolo.
gIcgi Corps. a section of the femur OF
thiSa bone Of an ganimal of the mas
teton species, the fossilized remains OF
which were recently discovered in
Onion County. These remains were
found IN drift formation about three
feet below the surface, and are similar
TO the remains of the Megatherium
found in other parts of the State. Ar
rangements were made by Klippart, of
the Geological Corps, to have the
skeleton or the parts thereof removed
with proper care. Before excavations
had proceeded far bad weather set in
and work has been abandoned. The
section OF the fem6P, upper part with
socket ball is akout2Ofnchesip length
or about half the length of the thigh
bone. This would make the aggregate
length Of &sFe bones Of the leg about 10
feat. TAe ball is 20 inches in eircum.
ference and the bone lower down of
course much larger From the part
OF tue skeleton secured, it is estimated
feet and the length 20 feet, and the
skeleton entire much larger than the
specimen now in the British Museum.
As his particular species or remains
thereof have been found only In Ohio
this specimen has been named the
MegdtheTiHBJ Chi0enSis. The animals
lived, it is supposed, in the period i'm :
mediatelypreceding tho human period
and we're after the elephant type.
EEhumlng operations Will be re-
sumed IN the spriug, and if the skele-
ton is removed in good shape or a good
state Of preservation, it win be set up
in the Echo Room at the Capitol,
where the fossils collected by the Geo
logical Corps are now being arranged
and stored.
Under the head of Mega atherium, the
American Encyclopedia, has the fol-
lowing. The species above referred
to differs somewhat from the one here
described, but the general character
istics are given. An extinct edentate
animal of gigantic size, coming in
many respects near to the sloth family
aud with its allies, the megolonyx and
myloden, seeming to from the transit
ion from the edentates to the pachy-
deTms- Pictet calls the family grave
grades, placing them between the
sloths and armadilios; in all the molars
are hollow cylinders of dentine and
cement without enamel. the tub es Of
dentine being filled with porous sub
stance the form of the head, which
is short aud truncated, the large de
scending Zygomatic process and many
parts of the skeleton resemble those
Of the slOths; the teeth consist only of
molars, the CANNES of the sloths be-
ing absent; in their heavy forms, near
ly equal limbs and long and strong
tail, they come nearer the Armadillos
and Ant Eaters The well known
South American species is intermodi.
ate 10 size between the Elephant and
the Rhinoceros.
The North American species is dis
tinguished from this by the Quadran-
gular prismatic form of the teeth and
by the anterior limbs which have nm
gers, the posterior only the 2 outer
being without nails, the others with
large claws.
yard long aud the claws set on
obliquely to the groundit is inferred
that the anterior limbs were used for
digging. The great size Of the .pelvis
and hind legs and strength Of the tail
were necessary to sustain so heavy an
animal in an upright position while
using its fore feet in digging around
the trees which il afterWard prOstrated
by the weight of its body. The teeth
show that the animal was herbiverous
feeding on the stems and roots Of trees
and succulent fruits"