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(Maps 5, 6–A.)

1. Mannington Township, Salem County.—In Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey, is a mounted mastodon said to have been found on the Hackett farm, Chestnut Hill, in Mannington. This township is northwest of the town of Salem. It is stated that about 75 per cent of the bones are present in the mounted skeleton; the missing parts are restored in plaster or some other material. Rhoads (Mamm, Penn. N. J., 1903, p. 235) was informed by Professor Valiant that this skeleton was excavated from a bed of gray marl, at a depth of from 6 to 8 feet below the surface. According to Lewis and Kümmel’s geological map of New Jersey, 1912, this region appears to be overlain by the Cape May formation (see also Salisbury and Knapp, vol. VIII, Final Rep. Geol. Surv. New Jersey, p. 194).

2. Harrisonville, Gloucester County.—In 1869, Cope (Cook’s Geol. New Jersey, p. 740) stated that a mastodon had been found at this place, but no details were furnished. Harrisonville is on Oldman’s Creek, and along this are distributed, according to the map above cited, materials belonging to the Pensauken formation. Bridgeton, Pensauken, and Cape May deposits are, however, not far away (Salisbury and Knapp, op. cit., pp. 31, 96, 97, 194, 198).

3. Mullica Hill, Gloucester County.—In Cook’s “Geology of New Jersey,” Cope reported also that mastodon remains had been found at Mullica Hill, on Raccoon Creek, but here again no details were given. Following the map cited, and Salisbury and Knapp, page 194, we find Cape May deposits at the town, but Pensauken is not far away, and it is not known exactly where the mastodon remains were met with.

4. Woodbury, Gloucester County.—Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads (Mamm. Penn. N. J., 1903, p. 235) recorded the discovery of a mastodon near Woodbury. It was found on Mantua Creek and was in the possession of Dr. J. C. Curry, of Woodbury. Mantua Creek flows south of Woodbury, about 2.5 miles distant. On the map cited the region is indicated as being covered mostly by Pensauken materials, but there is some Cape May (Salisbury and Knapp, pp. 100, 191). The Cape May is on a lower level along the streams.

From Dr. Curry the writer learns that the remains of this mastodon passed into the possession of Mr. Herbert Twells, of Woodbury, New Jersey. Neither of these gentlemen is able to furnish any further information.

5. Pemberton, Burlington County.—Professor E. D. Cope (Cook’s Geol. New Jersey, 1869, p. 740) stated that mastodon remains had been found at Pemberton. Previously, Conrad (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila. vol. I, 1832, p. 11) had reported that bones and teeth of this species had been found here. In the collection of the Academy at Philadelphia are a part of a skull and some bones and teeth which were collected at Pemberton in 1887 by J. C. Saltar and E. McConnell. Rhoads (Mamm. Penn. N. J., p. 234) mentioned this skeleton and said that it was exposed in the bed of a small stream. Mr. J. Coleman Saltar, now of Milford, Delaware, has kindly replied to the present writer’s inquiries. He says that the skeleton was found about 1.5 miles northwest of Pemberton, in the bank of a small stream lying partly in the water, partly embedded in the bank. The flood-plain is perhaps about 10 feet below the tilled land along the stream. On the flood-plain is recent silt. Below this appears to be a Pleistocene deposit which contains vegetable débris, including pine cones. The skeleton was in this layer, about 3 feet below the surface. Professor Valiant informed Mr. Rhoads that another skull was found, a good many years ago, in a swamp near Pemberton, and for a long time was used as a door-step before its real nature was discovered. Mr. Saltar, in the letter referred to above, stated that his understanding has been that this skull was found along the same stream and was used as a stepping-stone in crossing, until some progressive person sought to change its position.

In the collection of the Academy, at Philadelphia, are 2 good teeth and parts of 2 others which are said to have been found at Pemberton. They are credited to G. C. Forsyth. At Princeton University is a nearly complete lower jaw, No. 8173, of a mastodon which was collected at Pemberton.

Pemberton is on Rancocas River. In Salisbury and Knapp’s work of 1917, on page 184, it is stated that sands which seem to belong to the Cape May are found along the North branch of the Rancocas near Pemberton.

6. Trenton, Mercer County.—Mr. S. N. Rhoads, in 1903 (Mamm. Penn. N. J., p. 235) stated that there is in Rutgers College Museum a specimen of tusk of mastodon which was reported to have been found in 1878 associated with stone implements in the Trenton gravels, 12 feet below the surface. Cook (Rep. Stat. Geol. New Jersey, for 1878, p. 15) stated that the tusk was found at a depth of 14 feet, with the gravel and stones partly stratified over it. There may be a question whether the tusk belonged to a mastodon or to an elephant. Professor S. Lockwood (Pop. Sci. Monthly, vol. XXLI, p. 344) wrote that he had seen a tusk, doubtless the one mentioned above, taken from the Trenton gravels. Whether or not this tusk was found immediately at Trenton was not stated, but Cook reported that it was found at Trenton.

7. Freehold, Monmouth County.—Several mastodons have been reported from this place. Professor Samuel Lockwood, in 1882 (Amer. Jour. Sci., vol. XXIV, p. 291; Pop. Sci. Monthly, vol. XXII, p. 341; Proc. Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., vol. XXXI, 1883, p. 365) reported that he had exhumed a skeleton of a mastodon in a peat-swamp 2 miles west of the town. It rested on hardpan, beneath the peat. Over the neck were sticks which had been cut by beavers. Lockwood’s complete account was published in the Popular Science Monthly, as quoted. The skeleton was in very bad condition. The lower jaw is not mentioned. According to the New Jersey map cited, the region about Freehold is occupied by the Pensauken formation; according to Salisbury and Knapp the identity of this is not wholly certain. It is impossible to say when the skeleton had fallen there. Some one, probably G. H. Cook (Geol. New Jersey, 1868, p. 741), stated that bones of mastodon had been found near Freehold by O. R. Willis. Professor Valiant has told the writer of a milk-tooth of a mastodon found at “Hartshorne’s mills” (Cook’s Geol. New Jersey, 1868, p. 781).

8. Englishtown, Monmouth County.—Mr. S. N. Rhoads (Mamm. Penn., N. J., p. 235) stated that Professor Valiant had informed him that remains of mastodon had been found in marl at Englishtown. The relations of the remains to the marl one can not now learn. According to the New Jersey geologists, the region about the place is occupied by Pensauken; but one can not be certain about the geological age of the mastodon.

9. Marlboro, Monmouth County.—George H. Cook (Geol. New Jersey, 1868, p. 741) reported that a portion of a jaw of a mastodon had been found in a mill-race at Marlboro; but when this happened we are not told. Rhoads, as cited, probably refers to the same specimen, where he mentions a ramus of a young mastodon containing the milk dentition. This is in Rutgers College. The gravels on the hills about Marlboro are referred by the New Jersey geologists to the Pensauken. It is not unlikely, however, that Cape May deposits are to be met with at lower levels.

10. Long Branch, Monmouth County.—A number of mastodons have been found in the vicinity of Long Branch. In 1824 (Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., N. Y., vol. I, pp. 143–147), De Kay, Van Rensselaer, and Cooper gave a detailed account of the exhumation of a mastodon skeleton on a farm called “Poplar,” 3 miles southwest of Long Branch, and 2 miles from the sea-beach. The skeleton was found near the border of a marsh and so close to the surface that it was discovered by a molar sticking out of the turf. The vertebral column lay only about 8 or 10 inches below the surface. These bones, including the skull, which lay near the surface, were more or less decayed. The tusks were not found at all. The bones were all buried in a stratum of black earth about 8 feet thick. Below this was a bed of sand, with rolled pebbles, of unequal thickness, but generally thicker than the bed of muck. Under this again was found a bed of marl of undetermined age. The impression received by the investigators was that the animal had sunken into the marsh and died in a standing position. In such a case, the bog had been formed before the animal was mired in it. There is an account by Van Rensselaer in the American Journal of Science, volume XI, 1826, page 246, of the finding of this skeleton. Godman (Amer. Nat. Hist., vol. II) gave an account of the same discovery. Cook (Geol. New Jersey, 1868, p. 741) thought that the bones had become exposed to view through subsidence of the peaty layer, due to its having been drained.

James Hall (Geol. 4th Dist., N. Y., p. 365) states that he had assisted in exhuming a mastodon at Long Branch which was in a natural vertical position, his body supported by the turf soil or black earth and his feet resting upon a gravelly bottom.

Lockwood (Amer. Jour. Sci., vol. XXIV, 1882, p. 294; Pop. Sci. Monthly, vol. XXII, p. 344) reported that he had known of 2 teeth of the mastodon which at distant times had been taken up at sea off Long Branch.

While it is very natural to refer to the latest Pleistocene these mastodons which lie so near the surface, it must not be concluded with too much assurance that they do belong to the Late Wisconsin. The discovery of horse-teeth in the Navesink Hills and of Megatherium at Long Branch shows that the older Pleistocene deposits are present in this region.

11. Navesink Hills, Monmouth County.—In 1869 (Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. VII, p. 261), Leidy reported that remains of the mastodon had been found in this region, associated with a vertebra and some teeth of a fossil horse. This was based on Mitchill’s statement (Cat. Organ. Remains, p. 7) that he had a part of a tibia of a mastodon.

12. Manasquan Inlet, Monmouth County.—In 1882 (Amer. Jour. Sci., vol. XXIV, p. 294), Lockwood stated that he had known of a tusk and some other bones of a mastodon which had been uncovered by sea-waves in a storm about 15 miles south of Long Branch. In another place (Pop. Sci. Monthly, vol. XXII, p. 344) he spoke of a tusk which had been thus unearthed in Monmouth County. The place was evidently north of Manasquan Inlet.

Salisbury and Knapp (Geol. Surv. New Jersey, vol. VIII) describe the region along the coast from Manasquan River to Long Branch as presenting Cape May deposits at elevations below 40 or 45 feet, while modern beach deposits occupy some areas below this level. It seems, however that some of these supposed Recent materials contain extinct vertebrates and are older than they appear to be.

13. Verona, Essex County.—George H. Cook (Geol. New Jersey, 1868, p. 741) stated that a very perfect tooth of a mastodon had been picked up near Verona. This town is on Peckman Brook, and in the valley of this stream there is some stratified drift which is referred to the Wisconsin. Too little is known about the history of the tooth to enable one to determine with confidence its geological age.

14. Rockport, Warren County (Schooley’s Mountain).—In 1828 (Amer. Jour. Sci., vol. XIV, p. 188), Thomas P. Stewart reported the discovery of what he called a mammoth on Schooley’s Mountain. It was met with in 1827, in excavating the Morris Canal. The locality must therefore be west of Musconetcong River and probably not far from Rockport. The bones lay at a depth of about 3 feet. The animal was evidently a mastodon. A tooth, a lower last molar, measured 3.5 inches in width and 7 inches in length. The enamel was well preserved. Other bones were found.

15. Hackettstown, Warren County.—In the fourth volume of the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 1844, on pages 118 to 121, there is an account, by J. B. Maxwell, of the discovery of the remains of 5 mastodons near Hackettstown, about halfway on the road to Vienna. In this vicinity is a ridge of gneiss which runs in a northeast-and-southwest direction. On this ridge is a pond-like depression about 40 yards in length by 25 yards in width, which at one time was a marsh. After it was drained the owner began digging in it and discovered the mastodon skeletons. They are described as consisting of one animal pretty large, three of smaller size, and one a calf. From these were obtained a skeleton which became the property of Harvard University and has since been known as the Cambridge skeleton. It is described by Warren in both editions of his “Monograph on the Mastodon.” Jackson (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. II, p. 60) described these skeletons. A lower jaw of a young individual had two alveoli for lower tusks, 0.75 inch in diameter.

Asa Gray (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. II, 1848, p. 92) examined wood which had been taken in the place occupied by the stomach of the skeleton referred to. He found no differences between it and that of the common hemlock spruce. While Gray speaks of this mastodon as being found on Schooley’s Mountain, he evidently meant the ones found at Hackettstown.

According to Maxwell’s account there was at the surface 6 inches of vegetable deposit; below this was found about 6 inches of whitish sand; while below this came a bed of pure muck from 4 to 6 feet in depth. In this were buried the mastodon bones.

Lyell (Second Visit to U. S., ed. 3, vol. II, p. 363) mentions the skeletons found at Hackettstown. Between the ribs had been found about 7 bushels of vegetable matter supposed to have been contained in the stomach. He took some of it to London and had it examined microscopically. It appeared to belong to the white cedar, Thuja occidentalis.

By consulting Lewis and Kümmel’s geological map of New Jersey, it will be seen that the locality where these mastodons were found is on the Wisconsin moraine. Plates XLV and XLV a of Salisbury’s report (vol. V, Geol. Surv. New Jersey) present the topographical and geological details of this region. A “mastodon pond” is there mapped which is doubtless the one referred to above. We may be quite certain, therefore, that these mastodons lived after the retirement of the Wisconsin ice-sheet.

A note, apparently by George Cook (Geol. New Jersey, 1868, p. 741), stated that some years previously a mastodon tooth had been found 0.5 mile east of Vienna, 4 miles west of Hackettstown.

16. Hope, Warren County.—A note, probably by George H. Cook, in his “Geology of New Jersey,” 1868, page 741, stated that a part of a mastodon skeleton had been found about 2 miles from Hope, on the road leading to Johnsonsburg and on the farm of Charles Howell. This would be northeast from Hope. On the New Jersey map referred to there is some Wisconsin drift indicated near this place. The remains are probably of late Wisconsin age.

17. Greendell, Sussex County.—In Warren’s “Monograph on the Mastodon” (first edition, page 174; second edition, page 200) is an extract taken from the Sussex Register, of September 27, 1851, giving an account of the finding of bones, jaws, and teeth of a mastodon on the farm of Timothy H. Cook, near Greenville. This town was later called Cuttoff and this name has recently been changed to Greendell. In Cook’s “Geology of New Jersey,” 1868, page 741, the farm was said to belong to Jacob Voss. In a bog which had been drained a fire was made on a stump of a tree. The fire burned the roots, and the bones of the animal became exposed. The bones of the head especially were apparently very near the surface. The town is on the Lackawanna Railroad, about 3 miles northeast of Johnsonsburg, Warren County.

The Pleistocene of North America and its vertebrated animals

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