Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-14
To be Continued.
ASPHALT POOLS.
A California Deathtrap That Ante
dates Adam.

- SdilTOTTlld bEdIltFdp iHoh INV
dates Adam.
The western portion Of the North
American continent has been so gen.
orally recognized as one Of the most
interesting regions Of the world for
the study of the life Of past geological
periods, and has therefore been so
assiduously explored for many years
by geologists and paleontologists,
that the discovery Of new field for
investigations Of this nature almost
within the limits of large city, is
distinctly surprising. Yet this has
recently been made In the location
of a great accumulation Of remark
ably preserved remains Of extinct an
imals in deposits around prehistoric
tar or asphalt pools at Rancho La
Brea, near Los Angeles.
OF the recent discoveries made in
the asphalt work one Of the most
interesting Is the finding Of a gigantic
lion, representing the group Of true
cats which have been found here so
abundantly. Although fragments Of
the skelton had been known for some
time, the first recognizable specimen
was obtained in December, 1908, by
DR.. William Bebb of Los Angeles
The skull found by DR.. Bebb resem-
bles that Of the modern African lion
in it's general character, but Is larg-
er than in any other member Of the
cat group, recent or fossil, Of which
any record has been obtained by the
writer. The species seems to be the
same as that represented by a large
jaw fragment obtained in 1886 in the
vicinity Of Natchez, Miss. This ami
NAL was given the name American
lion by Prof. Leidy, who first de-
scribed it. 1t probably had a wide
range over North America in the last
geological period.
1t is interesting to note the pres
ence in the same asphalt beds Of the
great American lion along with the
sabre tooth tiger, the two represent
ing the highest stages Of develop
ment Of the cat group, and being at
the same time two Of the most form
liable carnivorous creatures that have
existed. They represent two quite dis
tinct divisions Of the cat family,
which developed concurrently through
many periods, but reached their
highest stage of efficiency in these
two types. The true cats, represented
by the lion, although very ancient,
have been less important in past geo.
logical periods than the sabre tooths.
They are apparently the production
Of the Old World, having come into
America in comparatively late geo.
logical time. The sabre tooth group,
on the other hand, has fiourished for
many periods and was represented
in North America by numerous spe-
cies and individuals.
These two great groups Of ami
mails, represented by their most for
midable types, existed together In the
environs Of the Brea pools. What
battles were waged between them we
can only conjecture, but we may feel
certain that encounters were not to
be avoided The sabre tooths out
numbered the lions, at least five to
one, judging from the number of
specimens found. The combats were,
however not ordinarily between
groups but between individuals. The
style Of attack of the two animals
must have been fundamentally diff
ferent Both animals slashed and
tore with their claws. The lion, with
it's powerful jaws and monstrous
biting muscles, throttled it's prey,
shaking and twisting 1t as a modern
cat deals with a rat or rabbit. The
sabre tooth slashed and stabbed with
its knifelike teeth, sometimes inca
pacitating its adversary with a sim
gle blow. In some cases while. lift
ing its head to strike 1t gave an open
ing for the lion to attack its throat,
and the battle was quickly ended.
At other times a blow from the lions
paw may have broken its long, thin
sabres, and rendered 1t a compare
lively inefficient adversary.-Harper's
Weekly.