On Platygonus compressus : a new fossil pachyderm / by John L. Le Conte.

  • Le Conte, John Lawrence, 1825-1883.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On Platygonus compressus : a new fossil pachyderm / by John L. Le Conte. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    1/26
    /S*£> /y y t ****** ' .yz-,. ., y^ y? VIII. On Pldtygonus Compressus: a new Fossil Pachyderm. By JOHN L. LE CONTE, M. D. (Communicated to the Academy, J\lay 29th, 1848.) In the short notice of new fossil Mammalia, published in Silli- man1 s Journal for January, 1848, I have given an account of the circumstances under which these bones were found, which are briefly these. At a few miles distance from Galena, in Illinois, while sinking a shaft for the purpose of obtaining lead ore, a fissure was discovered fifty feet below the surface ; this fissure was filled with an earthy deposit, containing much iron and lime, and imbedded in it were found many fragments of bone. A portion of these were preserved by the miners, and by good fortune found their way to the collec- tion of Mr. Snyder, a merchant residing in Galena, and well known for his appreciation of natural science. By him some teeth were presented to me a few years ago, in order to determine the species of animals to which the bones belonged. On examination, these teeth were found very different from any heretofore observed, and it was at once evident that they appertained to one or more new genera. Notice of this fact was sent to Mr. Snyder, and permis- sion was asked to examine the other mammalian fossils of his cab- 34