New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-08
ANOTHER MASTODON FOUND.


NEARLY THE ENTIRE SKELETON EXHUMED.
HOW THE REMAINS WERE pTsCovERED-THE BONES
INA GOOD STATE OF PREsERvATIoN-DIMEN-
sIoNs OF THE CHIEF PARTS OF THE ANIMAL
PROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBUSE.l
NEwBURG, n. Y, July ION Saturday some of
the bones of q mastodOn were discOyeredin aswamp
on the farm of Hugh Kelly, in the town
of New-Windsor seven miles southeast Of
this city. William Kelly. son of the
owner of the farm dug up what appeared
to be a log about two feet in length
and several inches in diameter. Being as
signed by his father TO other work on the farm,
the digging of the trench was suspended. and moth
ing more was thought Of the discovery. Later in
the day, however, several Of Mr.. Kelly's neighbors
the supposed log, and on examination they
reached the conclusion that instead Of being
piece of wood or stone, the sub
stance was nothing less than section of
the leg Of mastodon. Yesterday r. W.
Genung and William J. Morrison, together with
Robert Glover, of New-York City. began digging in
the trench and their labor was rewarded by the
discovery of the skull Of a large mastOdon, besides
numerous other bones sufficient to make an almost
complete skeleton of the extinct mammoth. The
upper part Of the skull wos found about four feet
six inches below the surface of the
ground and some idea of its size and weight
may be obtained from the fact that it required the
exertIOns Of five men to lift 1t from its bed. The
lower jaw was found at the same depth from the
surface the upper one but about three feet away
from it. There were also unearthed a complete
foIe-leg of the mastod0n sections OF the spine,
than a score of ribs and large number Of bones be-
longing 10 the feet. The search was continued to-
day. and up TO noon several more ribs had been
brought to light The first bones were found at
depth Of two feet, and the trench excayated TO
depth Of about five feet. bones being found in nearly
every shoyeful Of dirt. The trench at present
measures thirty feet in length and ten feet in width,
bat the digging of this large area has not I'M
eaIthed all the bones of the mammoth.
The bones are in petrifed condition, presenting
the appearance of iint, and after being unearthed
were carried to the baru Of William Morrison, who
resides near by.
The land on which the discovery was made is
part of a swamp, which fifty years ago formed the
bed Of pond covering three acres of land. About
1929 the land was drained, and the water Of the
pond turned into a tributary of the Hudson River
since which time the bog has been used for the
growth Of vegetables. The mOrass is formed of
rich black mud to depth of twenty feet
The dimensions Of the chief parts of the skeleton
found are as follows: The skull is A inches long,
2s wide, 20 high, and 234 between the eyes. The
diameter Of the nostrils is six inches, the nostrils
extending into the head two feet. Four teeth were
found in each jaw in an excellent state of prescrva-
tiou The enamel is of a blush tint and
unbroken. The four back teeth are eight
pointed. measure by 3sl inches and stand
three inches ont Of the jaw. The four front teeth
are x-pointed, and measure Al by Sig inches. The
depth of forehead Is inches; the eye-sockets
7InChes in diameter, and the ear-sockets inches
in diameter. On each side and above the mouth
are holes measuring Gig inches Ill diameter,
from which probably prOtruded the tusks,
which have not yet been found. These openings
extend into the skull depth Of two feet. There
are yht fangs on each back tooth and SIX on each
front one The space between the rows Of teeth
across the jaws 7l2 inches on the upper ana
81 inches on the lower jaw. In the centre of che
forehead is a cavity measuring IL by 4 inches. 1t
cannot be surmlsed what this cavity indicates IN
les. il be for trunk between the tuskS CORE
spending 20 that Of elephant. The lower Jaw was
joined to the upper alter they mad oeen uneaFthed
making perfect skull. 1t j. estimated that the
skull complete wtl not weigh less than 600 pounds
The fOre-ieg including the thlgh-Oone, measures
ieet IN lengin anG - We tb ~ :. 49,
ure. feet inches ia length, ana the second JOINT
of the same leg feet inches. ne only part OF
the other fDre-leg yet found Is the second JOINT,
measuring 3 feet 10 inches IN length. y dozen or
more sections of the spine are among the bones IN
eartAed. The largest measures ~ by 10 lncues'
them thar of toe, measuring 6l2 by AZ lnChes.
The lower Joint of the fore-ieg and thlgh-Done
are lacking 10 make the legs complete, Out tne
search Is being continued aud VIII not be gwen up
until every bone necessary to make complete sAei
etou is found. The bones are ia me CONDITION, ana
the men engaged IN digging are taxing great care
that they shall not be broken OF damaged IN any
way. -. A.
skeleton /, about equal in SIZE TO the largest yet
found And il Is a remarkable fact that the largest
homes of the mastOdOn genus ever discovered
came from the same section OF country-a marshy
relIion extending from Orange Lake, about four
mai les from this city, into NeW-N lndSoT, and known
as he Great swamp. hey were iOuud IN 1912 on
tbe farm of Nathaniel Brewster, ana are now III
IN, R,ston Museum. The skeleton as artlculated
- Cot MON II feet from eud of face 10 begin
ming %, tai! the latter beng Ieet Inchesj cli-
cumterrnce around ribs, 10 leet inches tusAs
about l feet of which feet inches project DC
You'd the SOC kets. ~ 81 =. 80,
state near Albany probably Is enrly "a 100; In
IT1O large quantities OF bones were Iouhu III hclI-
ttrl,v ihe nr,t remains of the mIstOuon iounu III
Orange County were discovered IN 49, ao"u'
thraa miles south of the village Of MONTGOMERY
In 1874 other remains were found about u'e
miles west Oh tHe same village. In Iouu more meIc
touuG about seven miles northeast H"hl Nioan.,
Qomery on he farm Of Dr.. George Grah'lh' III 4'Oo
bones we're found one mile east nL AIoh's oh
m. -rru owned by DR.. Charles Fowler. In 1880
tooth WA, found by Daniel EmOlcr, on or htar inc
farm OF samuel Dixon, In the town OF NeNpuIE;
In 1871 remains We're fouhd on th1 Ann "a
nearly a perfect skeleton was found IN MOUNT nope
ubouf 1871 La lSiJ the largest aud most pefIeCt
skeleton ever discovered was taken from the IaIn
of Nathaniel Brewster; and III tne s4ule
year. the farm OF jesse =. Otrye, " n
burg the major portion Of q h4stodo4 DCh,h Was
dug out Remains lave also been found ia the
town OF Goshen.