Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-24
A MASTODON UNCOVERED.
The Remsins Found In "a Swamp
Near Freehold, Nj.

A Freehold dispatch to the New York
| Tunes OF the 18th says: "Wm. II. Reed, q
| farmer living about two miles west OF this
| village, has recently had several workmen
| engaged in draining q swampy meadow.
| One of the laborers threw out what was at
hrst thought to be large white gravel
| stone, but which, on being wiped off by one
of the men, was seen to be an immense
| tooth which had evidently belonged to some
large animal. The tooth was about four
inches long and two inches across the top,
and weighing nearly four pounds. The
men were about to resume digging, when
Mr.. Reed ordered them to desIst. He ac-
| quainted DR.. Samuel Lockwood, the natu-
ralist. who lives here, with his "find," and
showed him the tooth. DR.. Lockwood i'm
mediatelY declared it to be molar from the
mastodon. Mr.. Lockwood accompanied
Mr.. Reed to the place where the remains
were found. This was evidently the site of
an ancient beaver dam. The laborer had
cut through the remains of the creature at a
point which took away the base of the tusks
and portion of the face of the animal.
Under the direction of Mr.. Lockwood the
digging was resumed. The ends of both
tusks were exposed The left one was uu.
covered and carefully lifted out to the
surface OF the ground. 1t was four feet
four inches In length; measuring tie
width Of the ditch, which was
eighteen inches, and allowing two feet
for insertion In the skull, the entire length
of the tusk would be seven feet ten inches.
No sooner was the tusk exposed to the at
mosphere than disintegration began, the
tusk falling to pieces in transverse sections,
each section being about one-fourth of an
inch in diameter. In the course Of half an
hour the disintegration had proceeded so
rapidly that only crumblY mass was left of
the tusk. When first exhumed the tusk had
the feeling of fresh cheese newly cut On
account of the greater depth of the second
tusk portions Of 1t remained uncovered
while the lsborers were at work at the re-
mainder, and by the time the hole was un-
covered the first part had so far decomposed
as to render 1t impossible to lift 1t out
"On the second day after the discovery
the work OF exhuming the body was begun
Operations commenced at the head, which
was lying within two feet of the surface.
When the laborers had cut down to the head
it was found to be so soft that the bones
were easily cut through with a spade. 1t
was nearly the color Of the black vegetable
mould of the meadow, and was, therefore,
almost indistinguishsble. But careful in
spection showed that the front part of the
head was greatly similar to that of the ele-
phant OF the present day, except that the
forehead was abnormally high. By close
investigation of the skull numerous
air cells, some of them an inch in
diameter, were found. The bone of the
skull was of an immense thickness. but
completely honeycombed with these air
cells. These cells had become filed with
the fibrous roots OF plants, which extended
through the entire skull. After digging
through the skull and coming to the lower
part of the head three or four more teeth
similar In shape, size and weight to that
already described were found. The teeth,
unlike the tusks and bones, were In
remarkably good state Of preser-
Vation. The exploration was continued
until the entire body was laid
bare. Beneath the bones was found a
bed OF sand, upon which the animal had eyi.
IDENTIFY laid down to die. The bones of the
body, though greatly decomposed, were
plainly distinguishable, and the position of
the animal was ascertained. It was living
with its head to the northeast, and it's legs
stretched at right angles to its body and its
head inclined toward its chest. About a
year ago the remains Of megatherium were
found in the mari pits of Marlboro, where
those of smaller sea creatures of that period
are. numerous. The discovery of the re-
mains OF the mastodon is important to geo
logical history, as it has been the general
belief among geologists that at the time the
mastodon lived the coast of New Jersey was
submerged, and that 1t has risen from the
waters since that time.n