The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-11-06
n1oAEAaE sIsOOyan1H q
as..a. ei;sD e. i.. - -. sssA. Hay.

aeSuaa OF eslo guntmersn work az the HasA
dsA HpiortnG 7'e1fys - -
Some of the most interesting disosy-
cries made this summer BY pr Hayaea's
exploring party are due to the 1ators Of
profesfor Cope in archaeological re-
searches ameng the bad lands of Colo
RADIO. The remains in the bad lands of
Colorado are even more interesting
than IN the similar regions Of Wyoming.
They have been found to bea vast grave
ward of animals Belonging to a long
past period Of earth's existence. Up to
the present time. Frofessor Cope has
proven the existence Of more than 100
species, represented by thousands of
individuals. OF these, al. least seventy
are . new 70 science. They range
from the size Of the mole TO nearly that
of the elephant. Sixteen species are
reptiles. Many forms OF insectiverous
animals. related to the mole, and of
very small size, have been procured.
The dellicacy and minnuteness of these
fossils is surprising. Gnawing animals,
or rodentes, left numerous remains of
eighteen species, some no larger than
the domestic mouse. Some were the
predecessors Of the rabbits, some Of the
squirrels, and some of the mice. Of
cloven-hoof quardupes a great many
have been found. Some were nearly
intermediate in structure between the
deer and the hog. Like the latter, they
had no horns. They were about as large
sheep. Others were about the size of
gray squirrels, being the smallest of
this class of animals ever discovered.
Several species of horses were living
during the same period, as is proven by
the bones and teeth which have been
obtained. Their relatives, the rhinoce-
r0s, sbounded in Colorado in former
days, no less than seven species having
been procured by Professor Cope. One
of the specimens is a perfect skull, with
teeth complete, and covered with the
moss-like equalization seen in the moss
agate. But the most remarkable mon
sters of the past whose existence has
been disclosed by this summers survey
are a series of horned species related
to the rhiDoceros, but possessing some
features in which, according to Profess
sor Cope, they resemble the elephant.
They stood high on the legs, and had
short feet, but possessed osseous horns,
in pairs, on different parts Of the head.
One of the largest species had FARCE
horn over each eye, while another had
one oneach side of the nose more than a
foot in length. A third one, of larger
size than the last, had rudimental horns
an the nose. Still another was about
MS large as the elephant. It's cheek
bones were enormously expanded, and
its horns were fiat. A fifth species had
triangular horns, turned outward.
Their structure disposes entirely of the
statement of a recent writer that the
presence of horns in pairs is an indica-
tion of relationship to the Eliminating
animals, for these beasts are near the
rhinoceros. Carnivorous species we're
not rare in this ancient family, and
served, rs now, to check the too rapid
increase. Of the fourteen species known,
there were tiger cats, dogs, hyepodons,
md the tomarctOs, new genus found
by Professor Cope. It resembled the
dog, and was as large as the black bear,
but it was much more carnivorous in its
propensities. The reptiles embraced
turtles, Lizards, and snakes. The last
two orders were discovered for the first
time, in this formation, in America.
10 the last few years Professor Cope
has obtained, from the ancient sea and
lake deposits of Kansas, Colorado, Wv
oming, Idaho, ETC., about 800 species of
vertebrated animals, of which he has
made known to science, for the first
time, more than 200. The history of the
succession of life on this continent will
be greatly elucidated by proper investi-
cations of the specimens preserved by
the survey.