The Cecil Whig., 1881-06-04
THE MASTODON IN RECENT TIMES

Prof John Collett, PHI. D., State Geol"-
gist of Indiana, gives some statistics in
relation to the mastodon, that dispcls the
notion that these animals did not live in
recent times. Archaologists who argue
tho great antiquity of man upon this
planet, based upon the fact that his re-
mains have been found with those Of the
mastodon, will be compelled 10 seek
other lines of proof for their theory. We
quote from page 3s5. Geological Report
for 1890. Prof. Collett says:
OF the thirty individual specimens of
the remains of the mastodon (Hdsiodon
gigonteus) found in this State, in almost
every case very considerable part of
the skeleton of each animal proved to he
in 4 greater or less condition of decay.
The remains have always been discovered
in marshes, ponds, or other miry places.
indicating, at once, the cause of the death
of the animal and the reason of the pres
ervation of the bones from decay. Spots
of ground in this condition are found at
the summit of the glacial drift or in ''old
beds" of rivers which have adopted a
shorter route and lower level, consequent
ly their date does not reach beyond the
most recent changes of the earth's sur
face: in fact their existence was SO late
that the only query is, Why did they be
come DISTINCT
\ skeleton was discovered in excavat-
ing the bed of the canal few miles north
of Covington, Fountain county, bedded
in wet peat. The teeth were in good
preservation, and Mr.. Perrin Kent states
that when the larger bones were cut open
the marrow, still preserved, was utilized
by the bog cutters to grease" their
boots, and that chunks of sperm-like sub
stance, q to inches in diameter (adipo-
cere), occupied the place of the kidney
fat of the monster. During the summer
of 1880, an almost complete skeleton of a
mastodon was found six miles northwest
from Hoopston, Iroquois county, H.,
which goes far to settle definitely that it
was not only 4 recent animal, but that it
survived until the life and vegetation Of
to-day prevailed. The tusks formed each
full quarter of a circle, were . feet
long, % inches in circumference at the
! base, and in their water-soaked condition
weighed 175 pounds. Tie lower jaw VA,
we'll preserved with full set Of maGnit-
cent teeth, and is nearly3 feet long. The
| teeth, as usual, were thickly cnameied.
! and weighed each from to i pounds.
The leg bones, when joined at the knee
made q total length of ), feet, iudtcat
| ing that the animal was no less than II
feet high, and from Il, to II feet Grrn'
| brow to rump. On inspcctin. the 70
mains closely, Il mass Of fibrous, bark
like material was found between the ribs,
| filling the place of the animals stomach:
when carefully separated, it proved t" he
! crushed mass of herbs and grasses, SIM
| lar to those which still grow i'll the vcin-
| ity. In the same bed Of miry clay mul-
| titude of small fresh water and land shells
were observed and collected, which We're
kindly determined by DR.. F. Stein. ~
follows
/. Pisidium, closely resembling =. dbd'-
| tum, Halderman. >. Faleata hic0ri6of",
Say. 3. Talrata, resembling ]. striot".
4. Planorbis pDrrus, Say.
The shell-bearing animals prevail all
over the States of Illinois, Indiana, and
parts of Michigan, and show concusively
that, however other conditions may dii'
| fer, the animal and vegetable life, and
consequently climate, are the same now
as when this mastodon sank i'll his grave
] of mire and clay.