New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-04

in cave in Patagonia of a skull strongly re-
sembling that of a mylodon, species of animal
that has been considered long extinct. Fossil !
remains of my.odons or meSatherums, have
been taken from rocks in South America, where
the creature once abounded. A few specimens
have also been found in the northern part of the |
continent But until nobody has suspected |
that the race might still survive. Even as it
is, the evidence is not conclusive but investga- |
tons have been set on foot which may possibly |
lead to positive results.
The megatherium sometimes attained a size |
greater than that of the biggest rhinoceros
From the tip of it's to the end OF it's tail
this creature measured from fifteen to twenty |
feet. 1t was herbivorous in its habits and fond
of foliage, which 1t obtained by sitting up on its
hind quarters, bracing itself with stout tail
and grasping young trees with it's paws. Some
times it entirely uprooted tree. The nearest
atives of the mylodon at the present time, so
far as known tree climbing sloths. The
extinct species is often called the ground sIoth
to distinguish the two. The modern slOth, how
ever, is bigger than a large dog-another
Tor believing that long interval must
have elapsed since the colossal mylodon -four
shed in the land
The cave in which the recent mystifyng dis
cOvery made is situated near Last Hope In
Let, which opens into the Pacific the south
ON extremity of the continent. In November,
Museum, was engaged in surveying the boun-
dairy between Chill and Patagonia. His duties
brought him to ndentation of Last Hope
Inlet called ConsueIc Cove. Here he hang
ing a tree pieces of skin. Upon close inspec-
ton, he perceived that the inner surface of the
hide studded with small bony patches like
those often found with fossil remains of mylo-
donS, and regarded a kind of armor. Dr.
Moreno is himself expert paleontologist and
familiar with the
to. Upon inquiry he learned that the skin had
been found by Argentine officers two years be-
fore, and that they had carried away a large
portion of it. The remnant left hanging
in tree. The natives supposed that the hide
was that Of COW, and took the bony patches
for pebbles that had become embedded in it in
way.
DR.. Moreno inspected the cave, but in what
now seems to have been a rather superficial
manner He found few bones that did not pos
sess any special significance. but that was all
Soon afterward DR. Nordenskjold, the famous
naturalist. visited the place and picked up some
claws and portions of skin Still later DR. Ru-
dolph Hauthal, the geolOgist of the La Plata
Museum made more thorough search doubt
less under the direction of Dr. Moreno
This later exploration began by the removal
of a stratum containing ashes and ordinary
bones a layer Of leaves and some llama bones
At length was laid bare what proved to be a he'd
three feet deep, composed of dust and what was
believed to be mylodon droppings Here were
eXhuned the skull just referred to- a few pieces
Of bone studded hide the skull of a man and
TWO avis made from leg-bone of a dog The
bones Of what has been thought to be an extinct
species Of horse and the skeleton of a cat as big
as tiger (also extinct specfes) wera like
wise found. One of the pieces of mylodon hide
was partly burned and from another if was an
parent that an attempt had been made to re-
move the hair \ large quantity Of cut hay was
associated with these Objects all of which were
contained in a rude chamber formed by two
artificial barriers of stone in the cave
From this evidence it appears that a man OF
suflclent Skill and intelligence to make rude i'm
PIGMENTS of bone, and familiar with the use Of
fire, had lived in the cave and had domesti
Gated some of the animals that dweIt with him
II has been suggested that perhaps he relied
upon the mylOdon for milk, and had coaxed tho |
creature inside the cave before killing if Rut |
hasmuch as only the skull and pieces of skin are
specifically mentioned in the accounts if is NOT
clear that the whole animal was ever there Tho
man had probably eaten the flesh of the NV
lodon and was trying to utilize parts of the
hide when death overlook him. The skull and
pieces of skin have been lent by Dr. Moreno IN
the South kensington Museum in London and
are now publicly exhibited there
BY far the most important question raised nv
this discovery, Of course. relates to the time
he he /, 4