The San Francisco call., 1904-02-06
Marm0H'S Extinction.
BY C. FREDERICK WRIGHT. A. NJ. IL d.
Author OF The Ice Age in North Amer
fca-"

BY C. FREDERICK WRIGHT A. NJ. IL. D.
Author OF The Ice Age in North Amer
ica." etc
Copyright 1904. by Joseph B. Bowies)
In 1889 DIR. Koch of st. Louis gave
an account in the Journal of Science
of the discovery Of the skeleton of a
mammoth in Gasconade County, Mo.
(ffty or sixty miles above St Louis),
which showed clear evidence that man
had aided in the killing of the animal.
At the same time some one attempted
10 throw doubt upon this description,
but subsequent discoveries render 1t
perfectly credible. The skeleton was
found. as usual, in a peat bog, in which
there had been a considerable ac-
cumulation of vegetable mold, blue
clay and sand, and was about five
feet below the surface. Beneath this
sketelon was an Indian spearhead and
a stone AK of unique pattern; also
ashes and pieces of burnt wood and
burnt bone. There were also pieces
of rock. weighing from two to twenty
five pounds, which were scattered as
though they had been thrown at the
animal The hind and fore foot were
stiff preserved, together with pieces OF
the skin. DR.. Koch supposed that the
animal, having become mired in the
mud. was attacked by men. who thus
aided in his destruction.
These facts give point to the ques-
ton put to me by the distinguished
Professor Schmidt three years ago in
st. Petersburg, when / asked him con-
cerning the cause of the destruction
of the mammoth. He said: Are you
sure that man did not have good
deal to do with it, as he had with the
destruction of the buffalo and other
animals ," Nevertheless. one cannot
but feel that this destruction has been
too widespread and on too large a scale
to have been much affected by the
agency of man. II seems more likely
that climatic changes have been the
principal agency in the destruction,
and that these changes were not from
increasing cold, but rather increasing
warmth.
The mammoth, as we have seen, was
abuudan ntly supplied with fur, which
shielded him from the effects of cold.
He lived on the vegetation that grows
in serni-Arctic regions. It is very like
ly that the amelioration of climate,
which followed upon the close of the
glacial period, produced conditions to
which the species could not readily
adapt itslef.
II is astonishing what small things
in nature arc oftentimes destructive
Of life. The cattle are driven off from
large areas in South Africa by the at
tacks Of little hy which swarms in
the region. Grizzly bears IN Alaska
are often killed by mosquitoes The
mosquito attacks the eye, which is
the weakest point, and the bear, in
attempting 10 kill the mosquito with
his paw, scratches his own eyes out
and becomes blind Thus the devel-
op,nent and multiplication of some
insignificant enemies OF the mammoth
rs the climate grew warmer may have
been fatal 70 his existence.
There is. however, much evidence
that tho mammoth became extinct in
many places because his instincts
ceased to be an unfailing guide amid
ihe changing conditions which fol-
lowed tie close of the glacial period.
Dr. Robert Bell, from his wide ex-
perience. has suggested theory
something as follows: The NAM
moth was in the habit Of seeking
shelter within the forest line during
winter. and with the opening OF
spring migrated to the timberless
country Of fhe north. whore he could
! browse On the small trees which line
the river courses OF the Arctic Ocean.
These habits could not always become
fixed, the animals could not always
I perceive tho dangers connected with
the change IN climate conditions and
would sometimes be too far away on
the approach Of winter successfully
/ to reach safe winter quarters In this
case they might be caught in the early
winter storms or attempt to cross an
! ice covered body of water before it
was sufficiently strong to bear them.
Dr. Bell relates that on an island
! IN Ungava Bay whole herd of rein
deer perished from starvation during
one storm when a heavy snowfall was
| followed by rain which formed a
crust, thus cutting off the supply of
moss The island was never restocked
afterward. Such may have been the
/ means by which large herds of the
mammoth were destroyed in northern
regions. Stockmen in the West, as
well as in Siberia. often now suffer
/ great loss from these storms of sIeet,
which form such a crust over the
grass that the animals are unable to
procure the nutriment that is almost
in sight Of their longing eyes.