Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-03
SKELETON OF
ZEUGLODON IN
NATIONAL MUSEUM
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of the sea, and
| which may also be the origin OF the well
known stories of sea serpents. The crea-
ture whose skeleton reposes at the Ma
tional Museum is a zeuglodon.
From the tip of it's tail to the tip of its
| nose this skeleton measures fifty-fve feet.
and, as nearly as can be estimated from
the contour of its ribs, ii measured from
five to six feet through the diaphragm. Its
head is about five feet long, which is con-
sidered exceptionally small, for in the
case of the skeleton of a whale in the
possession of the institution which is
only slightly longer the head measures
almost sixteen feet in length. The name
"zeuglodon'' is not the one by which the
creature was first known. In 1892 a Phil
adelphia scientist called it .'basilosau-
rus believing it to be one of the reptile
family. This. however, was discovered
to be wrong, as it is a mammal, and so
it was named zeuglodon from the teeth
| which 1t possesses, that term signifying
yoke teeth. The Zeuglodon's back teeth
are notched and are similar to yoke.
The zeuglodon was found in Alabama
several years ago This is not the first
creature Of it's kind to be unearthed in
that part Of the country, although II Is
among the few complete specimens. Diff
ferent parts of the skeletons of these
creatures have been found embedded in
rocks by the natives of that state. these
bones have been put to use as corner foun-
dations for rude shacks or as the central
pieces of fences, boards being placed
across them. thereby forming primitive
means of bounding the land. 1t was not
until some one above the average intel
ligence displayed by the poorer inhabi-
tantS appeared that the Smithsonian Mu-
scum ever became aware of the existence
of this deposit in the earth in that re-
gion. DR.. Charles Schuschert. now of
Yale University, but formerly with the
Smithsonian Museum, went down to Ala
bama and looked over the situation. A
second expedition was made two years
later, the results of the two trips being
| the skeleton which is now being prepared
for exhibition.
The skeleton is being prepared in the
division Of vertebrate paleontology, I'M
der the guidance OF ]. W. Gidley, custo-
dian Of the fossil mammals of that d.
vision AS the result Of careful study and
thorough knowledge of fossil mammals
Mr.. Gidley and his associates have been
able to come to some interesting conclu-
sions in regard to this creature. The
| most startling Of these conclusions to an
unscientific mind is the fact that it is es-
timated that the zeuglodon lived some
three or four million years ago. This is
the reason that the skeleton, having
been found in Alabama, does not present
any great phenomenon to the present
owners. as it is easily accounted for in
the fact that what is Alabama today
was then othing but water. and. that the
zeuglodon, having died in that portion of
the sea, sank into the deposit at the
bottom. 1t was therefore brought to the
top by whatever means converted that
portion Of the world into land.
AS Tar as the length of time between
the period when the seuglodon was alive
and today is concerned, the scientists
freely admit that it is simply matter
Of guesswprk. This, however, does not
mean that the date of it's existence is set
with the same random as though 1t had
been done by guesswork on the part of
one not a scientist. Guesswork with them
is a matter Of ceaseless calculation and
three or four million years ago is rather
a far period at which to put the date,
Mr.. 0fdley has in his division the skele-
tons Of mammals, which, it is believed.
lived seven or eight million years ago.
An interesting fact is that the earlier
mammals are all remarkably small.
The labor demanded in preparing a
skeleton Of this kind for exhibition pur
have the rock with which It is surrounded
removed. This is not only a difficult
piece of work. but in the case of the
zeuglodon it was even more difficult, as
In many cases tne persons at Work re-
moving the rock did not know the exact
outline Of the bone and were unable to
tell when they were upon 1t. After the
work of removing the rock. from the
skeleton had been completed, over year
being consumed, the next step was to
place it In position. This was done, and
for some time it was exhibited In this
manner. F1fty-fve feet OF skeleton
stretched out on a. level platform does not
awaken the imagination of those MIA
miliar with mammals Of the sea, and so
the zeuglodon was removed and will not
be seen again until it has been placed in
lifelike position, with ribs and nippers
complete. Even the simple matter of
giving the zeuglodon a lifelike pose is
consuming considerable of Mr.. Gidley's
time. At present the work Is almost at
the stage where the services OF a black