The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-09-15
A GIGANTIC BONE.
A Portion Of Huge Mastodcn Ex-
humid Near Aurora-Dimensions of
the Bone-the Entire Amin al Full
ly Fifteen Feet High.

| AS was noticed in our news column,
there was found near Aurora, in this
State, not long since, a gigantic bone,
supposed to belong to the skeleton of
some OF the extinct animals. 1t was dis
covered while digging we'll in low,
sioughy place, and was imbedded in the
earth about seven feet from the surface.
A gentleman connected with the Acad
envy OF Sciences has recently visited
Aurora for the purpose of inqniring into
the matter and has brought back photo
graphs of the relic. 1t belongs to the
species OF mldstodon called NJ. GiigdHteus,
aud is the left hun,erus, the bone cores
pondlng to that between the shoulder
| and elbow OF man. 1t measures IN length
forty-four inches, In lateral diameter at
either end one foot, and in the narrow
part at the centre six inches 1t is in
good state OF preservation. Now, there
seems to be nothing strange or curious in
the bone Of the mastodon having been
found, Tor during the last ten years there
have been large number OF these tro-
phles unearthed, in all parts fthe coun-
thy, and from a single bone SO small that
experts could only by dint of isuch study
make out to what species it belonged, to
a whole skeleton; they have been struck
at various depths, from six inches to ten
feet from the surface, and always in
situation that make it certain they had
been kept moist. usually in marsh they
have been found nearly always just be,
low the black earth, and upon the marty
clay. and usually the several pieces of
single skeleton have been mach scatter
ed they have been found to be in var
ious states of preservation, from the
hard, rocky bone to fragile, crumbling
mass, ready to fall to pieces on being
touched. In none Of these particulars
does the Aurora specimen show US any
marked difference from former discover
les, or reveal any hing new regarding
this gigantic beast, long ages ago exter-
minated But, in its size, it far exceeds
anything heretofore known, and indica
ties an animal ofsuch monster dimensions
that 1t staggers the Imagination to COP
oeive Of it. Were not the individuals
who took the measurements of this bone,
gentlemen Of matured Judgment and
care, we should be strongly inclined to
doubt the correctness Of their figures
Ii the dimensions given are accurate, the
specimen Is near y four inches longer
than any other similar bone as vet dis
covered, and, when fitted to tie lily
ing body Of It's owner, must have formed
part OF an animal little less than fifteen
feet high. The value of the trophy may
be understood when we reflect that the
ta!lest mastodon skeleton now known is
about twelve feet high, that being ap
proximately the height Of DR.. Warren 5
mounted skeleton in Boston. while the
Cohoes mastodon, in Albany, falls but
little below it. Of the two mounted
specimens IN our own Academy of Scien-
ces, the taliest measures eight feet and
nine inches; both of these, however, it
is quite generally conceded, we're some
what younger than adult animals. The
bones dug up at Wheaton last year
which. by the way, have been secured
by the academy. and viii soon be deposi
ted permanently in its colection-are a
little less IN size than the Warren masto-
don; a few bones recently brought from
Perm, Ind, by the same institution, are
considerably larger than these, but fail
far short Of the dimensions OF the Aurora
specimen. Let those who have been
1requenters Of the museum on Wabash
avenue, and who have been amazed at
the proportions OF the larger mastodon
as he looms UP by the side Of the skele-
tons Of the horse and OK, imagine him,
If they can,-increased 10 size until
his vertical measurement shall be six feet
greater, and then wonder that race Of
the brute creation, which reckoned
among It's number even though but few
Of these colossal animals, once oyerran
this whole land Such they undoubted
ly did, FOR they are being exlluned from
swamps and wet places all over the conn
try, and might without doubt, be found
in the dry earth too, were it not for the
fact that here, subjected to alterations of
moisture and dryness through the ages,
they have long ago gone back to the dust
they came from.
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