Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-11
THE WORCESTER MAsTODON.
Discussion Before the Boston Society of
Natural History.
From lie Boston AdUerti8sr.

From tie Boston AdUerti8sr.
The Boston Society OF Natural History,
at their last meeting discussed the sub
ject Of the relics recently found near
Worcester, Mass, namely, the skull of a
mastOdOn and human skull and jaw
bone. Prof. F. W. Putnam of Cambridge
explained the circumstances OF the dis
coYery and the character of the relics as
scientifically regarded. He said that the
farmer who first came upon them in dig
ging in his peat meadow, in Shrewsbury,
called the attention OF DIR. BemIs Of that
town to them, and he, in turn, enlisted the
W orcester Society of Antiquity and the
Society of Natural History Of that place
IN an investigation of the matter. The
farmers digging had been for the purpose
Of draining his meadow, and his eXcaya-
ton consisted of aditch about 10 feet wide
and 10 feet long. What he found was
only tusk and one or two teeth of the
mastOd0n. When the scientific explorers
came to the spot where these were found it
was pointed out; but it was only matter
of conjecture as to where the remainder
Of the skeleton might be. Accordingly
they turned up a cent to decide as to
which side of the ditch to dig. The
augury was that they should dig on the
side opposite 10 that near which the far
mer had found the first fragments. In so
doing they came upon the skull of the
mastOdon and the human skull and jaw
bone; also some more teeth Of the mas
tOdon were found. Subsequent eXcRva-
tion was made about 10 feet in all direc-
lions from the point where the first
fragments We're found, but nothing more
was unearthed Of special scientific in
terest. The excavation into the peat was
from to s feet in depth, the bottom being
hard blue clay. The bones were found
lying Immediately upon the clay. The
character OF the peat was described and
it was stated that, while the skull of the
mastOdOn was much decayed and very
fragile, the human skull was compare
lively perfect. The human skull was
that Of a female. The relics were stained
a dark brown color, as naturally they
would be II imbedded during long period
IN peat. The professor gave his reasons
for coniecturing that they had been
washed into the bottom of the valley from
one Of the slopes before the formation of
the peal began. He did not pretend to be
sufficiently familiar. either with geology
or with the rate at which peat deposit in
cTeases, TO suggest what might be the pro-
bable age OF the bones.
Mr.. William NJ. Davis discOursed briefly
upon the geological aspects Of the matter
and concluded that the valley might have
been formed 1900 or $1,000 years ago. As
he had not visited the premises he would
not venture upon an opinion as to how
long the peat bog might have been in for
nation. The peat, he said, accumulated
more rapidly in some situations than in
others. In the discussion which followed,
some difference of opinion was expressed
as to whether the relics were washed
there or had originally been deposited
where found. 1t was stated that the hu-
man skull is at the Agassize Museum in
Cambridge, and is being studied with
purpose to Judge Of the race TO which the
woman belonged. About 80 skulls OF
different known tribes or races, which are
in the museum, have been subjected to
accurate comparative measurements, and
this one seems to have some conspicuous
points OF difference from any OF them.
These measurements have mt yet been
duly cOllated and compared, so that the
question is not yet determined Prot.
Putnam remarked that the skull is ''full
of conundrums." 1t is known that human
beings existed contemporary with the
mastodons. No remains OF a mastodOn
have before been found so far east on tnis
continent, the eastern limit having nth
erto been in the western part Of Con-
neoticut. The first fragments found at
Shrewsbury were come upon in the fall Of
1884; the later ones during the month Of
October of this year.