The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-01-24

as many as are now found living through
out the world Among the carnivores
there were several species of foxes and
wolves, five varieties of the cat family, and
three species of hyena. Some of the skulls
| of the tiger-like animals exhibited the
marks of terrible conflicts with the hyenas
Among the rodents were a porcupine,
snt all beaver, rabbit, mouse, etc,
| The pachyderms, or thick-skinned ami
mails, were very numerous and were of the
greatest interest, from the fact that none
of them are living on the continent at the
present time. Five species of rhinoceros
| are found mastodons an elephant, and
numerous forms allied to the domestic
| hog, varying in size from that of the Afri-
can hippopotamus down to that of the do
mfstic cat. From the discovery of this
group of extinct animals we may draw the
inference that Nebraska and Dakota were
the homes of a race closely allied to those
inhabiting Asia and Africa at the present
time. From their characteristics we are
| led TO believe that the climate during that
period was considerably warmer than it is
now The inference is also drawn that
America, instead of being as it is usually
called, the ''New World" is really older
than the Eastern Hemisphere
The discoveries in Kansas and Wyoming
are still more wonderful. During the past
summer, Prof. Cope has occupied consid-
cradle time under the auspices of the Sur
vdy in exploring another of these wonder
| full graveyards of long past period, from
which he has taken the osseus remains of
more than one hundred species, more near
lH resembling those of White and Niobrara
rivers, but most of them specifically dis
tihct. At least seventy species are new to
sdience, ranging from the size of the mole
nearly to that of the elephant; sixteen
species only are reptiles.
STRANGE FOSSILS.
Many forms of the mseetiyorous animals
related to the mole, and of very small size,
have been procured. The sdelieaey and
minuteness of these fossils are surprising.
Gnawing animals, or rodents, left numer
obs remains of eighteen species, some not
larger than the domestic mouse. Some
Were the predecessors of the rabbits, others
of squirrels, and others of mice. OF clo-
vfn-footed quadrupeds great many spe-
cies have been found. Some were nearly
intermediate between the deer and the hog
i1 structure. Like the latter, they had no
hbrns. They were about as large as sheep.
Others were about the size of gray squir-
rGls. being the smallest of this class of ami
mails ever discovered. Several species of
horses were living during the same period !;
their bones and teeth are found in abund-
ahce. The rhinoceros abounded in Colo
rado in former days, no less than seven spe-
cies having been procured by Prof. Cope.
| One of the specimens is a perfect skull,
with teeth complete, and covered with the
. nhoss-like crystalization seen in the moss
agate. But the most remarkable mon
sEers of the past whose existence has been
disclosed by the present survey are
] a series of horned species related to the
4 ra1inoeeres, but possGssing some features
, in which, according to Prof. Cope. they
resemble the elephant. They stood high
, On the legs and had short feet, but pos
| dessed osseous horns in pairs on different
barts of the head. One of the largest
: species had huge horn over each eye.
r while another had one ON each side of the
: nose and more than foot in length, re-
/ 4embling, on the back part of the head
} the OK, etc. A third one, of larger size
/ than the last, had rudimental horns on the
S hose. Still another was about as large as
! the elephant. Its cheek bones were
E enormously expanded. and its horns were
: Hat. A fifth species had triangular horns
4 turned outward. Carnivorous species were
: not rare in this ancient world, and served
!. then as now to check the too rapid increase
= of the fourteen species of carniyore!
e known, there were tiger-cats and dogs al
t large as the black bear, but probably mucl
! more carnivorous in their propensities
E while some of the cats had remarkable
e canine or eye teeth. In a new species, tht
) size of panther, these teeth greatly re
5 semble those of shark. There We're lalsC
{ many reptiles, such as turtles, lizards
: snakes, etc.
\ PLANTS. St
e The fossil plants which have been col
: lected by the Survey and are now in pro
e cess of elaboration by Prof. Lesquereul
. and DR.. NeWberry will teach an equally In
] I!structive lesson in regard to the ancien
b history of our Great West. We now know
e IIthat those broad, treeless plain
5 IIwere once covered with dense for
i lIests, resembling in their luxurianc
a I|those of the central or southern
I IIportions of our continent at the presen
: time. Groves of palms waved broad leave
e lover the ground, some of which had
: Espread of twelve feet. At the present tim
S the true fan palms are found only withil
S the tropics. Many OF our native orna
l. mental trees and shrubs are the Gneai de
}. scendants of the tertiary species, and s.
o nearly resemble the ancient forms that it i
> difficult to distinguish them. Prot. Les
e quereux says that among the genera foun
= to be indigenous to our continent are tn
z Virginia creeper (AmpelopssS) and the mul
e berry (Morus). Both the fossil species ar
Is in intimate affinity with the living ones
ic They are seen everywhere, and know
G and liked by everybody. The one is tn
b friend of the farmer by its shade, OF hi
asa children, delighted by the pleasantness
DfH its fruits; the other adorns our dwelling
lrI when allowed to grow in our gardens
,rt And when left to its own work it cover
nf with green foliage the dead trees and tfl
mi barren rocks, tempering desolation an
It. ruin by hiding them under elegant fringe
n-{l and garlands painted of the richest color
VII It is worth something to know that th
frl origin of the Virginia creeper and of th
mil red mulberry is traceable to the tertiar
nj formations of North America
AMAY who had recently been elected
srI major of militia, and who was not owe
mi burdened with brains, took itinto his hea
an!l Of de to exercisa