Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-12-04
ANCIENT L.FEsso- AMERICA.

The barren, trecless plains of the far
" est are at this time invested with a
singular and profound interest to the
man OF science. Within few wears
numerous cemeteries of the extinct in
habitanss that roam over these now
arid plains thousands of years ago,
have been brought to light by the
various exploring expeditions. We
regard with a sort of reverential awe
the ancient remains dug up from the
ruins Of Rome and the Holy Land, and
view with q sort Of vague wonder the
remarkable cities among the luxnriant
forests Of Central America, vet these
wonderful old inhabitants Of Colorado
Wyoming, and Dakoto, were dead and
buried untold ages before the people
who conceived these ruins had an ex-
istence. We bestow the highest
honors OF literature on the historians
of our awu time, as Motley, Bancroft,
and Others, and yet the period OF
human history is but q day compared
with the innumerable ages Of the past
with which the geological historian
has to deal. 1t is the province of the
geoioglst to reconstruct past worlds
and to repeople than with the ancient
inhabitants: to cover the surface with
the original seas, lakes, mountains, and
forests. This is what Lyell so apt.v
calls the charm of discovery, aud with
a true enthusiasm he quotes the beauti-
FIJI sentiment of the Niebuhr: "He who
calls what has vanished back again
into being enjoys bliss like that Of
creating"
One the most remarkable results OF
the United States geological survey,
my charge during the past season, was
the discovery by Professor Cope, in tn.
"Bad Lands ofColorado, of one OF
these grave-yards of a long past period
distinct from that of Wyoming, and
containing the osseous remains of a
great population of beasts of totally
different species, and even orders from,
those OF the latter age and region.
They resemole more nearly those OF
the White River of Nebraska, bu,
many have been obtained by Professor
Cope not known there or elsewhere. So
far he has proven the existence of more
than 100 species, some represented BY
thousands Of individuals. Of these at
least seventy species are new to science
They range from the size of the mole
to nearly that of the elephant; sixteen
species only are reptiles. Many forms
OF lnsectivorous animals related to the
mole, and Of very small size, have been
procured. The delicacy aud minute
ness of these fossils is surprising
Gnawing animals, OF rodents. left
numerous remains of eighteen species,
some not larger than the domestic
mouse. Some were the predecessors
OF the rabbits, other of squirrels, and
others of mice.
Ofeloven footed quadrupeds a great
many species have been found. Some
were nearly intermediate between the
deer and the hog in structure. Like
the latter they had no horns. They
We're about as large as 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 that have been discovered
Their relative, the rhinoceros, abouuded
in Colorado in former days, 10 less
ihan seven species having been proeur
ed by Professor Cope. One of the
specimens is perfect skull, with teeth
complete, and covered with the moss
ike capitalization seen ia the moss
agate. But the most remarkable mon
sters Of the past whose existence has