The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-04-13
ASPHALT POOLS.
A Californian Deathtrap That Ante
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 as
siduously explored for many years by
geologlsts and paleontologists, that
the discovery OF new field for inves-
legations Of this nature almost with.
In the limits of large city Is dis
tinctly surprising. Yet this has recent
ly been made in the location of a
great accumulation of remarkably
preserved remains of extinct animals
In depoclts 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 In
teresting Is the find of gigantic
lion, representing the group of true
cats as contrasted with the sabre
tooth cats which has been found here
so abundantly. Although fragments of
the skeleton had been known for
some time, the first recognizable spec.
linen 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
same as that represented by large
jaw fragment obtained in 1886 in the
vicinity Of Natchez, Miss This animal
was given the name American lion by
Prof. Leldy, who first described II. It
probably had wide range over North
America in the last geological period.
It 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 development
of the cat group, and being at the
same time two of the most formidable
carnlvorous creatures that have exist
ed. They represent two qslte distinct
divisions of the cat family, which de-
veloped concurrently through many
geological 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 production OF
the Old World, having come into
America In comparatively late geo'ogl-
cal time. The sabre tooth group, On
the other hand, has flourished for
many periods and was represented in
North America by numerous species
and individuals.
These two great groups of animals,
represented by their most formidable
types, existed together in the envlr-
ons of the Bret pools. What battles
were waged between them we can only
conjecture, but we may feel certain
that encounters were not to be avoid
ed. The sabre ootfsoutnumbered the
lions at least five to oGe, Judging from
the number Of specimens found. The
combats were, however, not ordinar-
ny between groups but between indl-
viduals. The style of attack Of the
two animals must have been funda.
mentally different. Both animals
slashed and tore with their claws
The lion, with its powerful jaws and
monstrous hitting muscles, throttled
it's prey, shaking and twisting 1t as a
modern cat deals with rat or rabbit.
The sabre tooth slashed and stabbed
with it's knifelike teeth, sometimes in.
capacitating its adversary with a sin
gle blow. In some cases while lifting
its head to strike it gave an opening
for the lion to attack its throat, and
the battle was quickly ended. At 9th
er times blow from the lions paw
may have broken its. long, thin sa.
bres. and rendered 1t comparatively
inefficient adversary.-Harper's Week
ly.