New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-17

LARGER than either. Ii differed from both in the
oosSessou of dense clothing Of hair. 1t resembled
the African species in the size Of its tusks, and the
Indian in the figure of tho vertical plates OF the
grinders and its smaller ears. The tusks, however
were larger more widely spread, and more extern
sively curved than those of any living elephant.
and their enormous sockets produced marked
eIongAtion of the head. The Occiput was largely
developed, and the forehead was coneave and nearly
vertical
The mammoth must not be COMPOUNDED with the
mastodou The size and general aspect of the latter
were extremely similar though we have no evidence
that it was clothed with hair the discovery OF
few dun-brown tufts, two TO seven inches long, In
connection with the Shawangunk skeleton. Tho
entire structure was truly eephantine and it lived
as a contemporary of the mammoth. PECULIAR
ties of the grinding teeth, however. led
Cuvier to establish a distinct genus for
It's reception. The molar or grinding tooth
of the elephant, in its usual condition, consists
of group of hollow, fattened cylinders OF enamel
covered dentine, standing vertical to the grinding
surface, and arranged IN rather close series, ex-
tending from the front to the back of the moar and
all cemented IN one huge mass by substance
called cementHm tsee figs. 2. 3 and A.. Each fiat
tened cylinder, while unworu on the crown is closed
up but by wearing it soon becomes opened. The
cylinders moreover, ultimately coalesce at
the base of the crown, forming q COM
mon body from which the roots proceed
Now, in the mastodon Zig. 81 the vertical flat
tened cylinders begin to develop on the crown
in a similar way but they are fewer, smaller and
less compressed and cOalesce with each other much
nearer the surface Of the crown. Hence no eeB1eH-
tHm is required to hold them together and this
substance Is scarcely discoverable except upon the
roots of the tooth. Moreover, the mastOdont
molar is smaller and eight Of them may be fully in
use at one time, while in the elephant but four. 1t
is an exceptional circumstance that the succession
of molars in both genera from behind save that in
the mastOdon the first two mOlars are succeeded
vertically, according to the law of other mammals.
The great mastodon which once roamed over
North America is known as the American mastodon
(BlastodoR Aulerieanus) II seems to have been the
dominant proboscidian Of the New World in the
same age when the primitive mammoth was domi-
nant in the Old World. Yet another species of
mammoth roamed here at the same time ms another
species of mastodon nastOdOH aRgustideHs, the mar
row-toothed mastOdOnl roamed in Europe. EyI-
dence exists that the American MastodOn continued
IN America 10 as late date as the primeval
mammoth in Europe, and was, like that, contempt
rary with the human species. Barton and Kahn
both give accounts Of discoveries in which some out
line Of the soft parts Of the animal was still
preserved. The Indians, moreover, retained very
positive and vivid traditions Of the mastOdon,
calling 1t the "bison's grandfather and related
that they had all been slain by the Great Man
because they were destroying the Indians game.
The skeletons Of the mastOdon are found sometimes
standing erect, in beds Of peat, mari or mud;
aud the writer has observed skeleton, IN one
instance within eighteen inches of the surface,
where IL would seem, it might have been deposited
within 500 years These remains. like those Of the
Siberian mammoth, occur under such circumstances
as To cOnstran us Ia believe that their inhumatlOn
has been geOl0gcaly very recent And yet " seems
probable that the primeval mammoths, which were
contemporary with the oldest men in Europe, were
the survivors OF those encased in Siberian ice.