Odd, Old News: Mastodon Teeth and Bones of Mystery

Mastodon Teeth [photo credit: Jstuby at English Wikipedia]

MASTODON TEETH AND BONES OF MYSTERY

This week Odd Old News features more tales of paleontological, and perhaps specious, speleological discoveries. The following newspaper accounts of pre-historic finds in Mendocino and Lake counties feature Mastodon remains, another fossilized whale find to add to the fossilized whale skeleton list, and, dated somewhat close to April Fool’s day, another geologically anomalous cave discovery near Blocksburg “containing the bones of huge animals now extinct” and a giant human skeleton!

Mendocino Herald, August 3, 1866

UKIAH CITY, August 2, 1866

EDITOR HERALD: – I was shown, a few days since, something of a curiosity, in the shape of petrifaction, supposed by those having it, to be a single tooth of a huge animal not known to them. But such appears not to be the case. It was a petrifaction indeed, and composed of five molar teeth, similar somewhat to those of the horse, firmly cemented together, and a perfect petrifaction. The outer portion of the jaw bone was gone; but the intermediate portion of the alveolar process was there, forming a solid mass. One fang of the largest tooth had been broken off, the other was complete. It doubtless belonged to the Mastodon, an extinct race of animals, as there is no record of any other having so large and ponderous teeth. The mass weighed three pounds five ounces, vertical length of teeth from crown to fang nearly six and a half inches; parallel length of mass six and a half inches; greater width of crown three and a half inches; less width two and a half inches. It was found in a ravine about five miles northeast of Ukiah City, and shown me by H.L. Davis. Dr. Crouch

—–The same tooth fragment was later shown near Napa—-

Daily Alta August 28, 1866

A WONDERFUL CURIOSITY.—We were shown, one day during the week, a wonderful curiosity, in the form of a petrified tooth of some monstrous animal-the species now not in existence. It was found by Mr. Soloman Davis, some five miles northeast of Ukiah City, Mendocino county, five weeks since, while on a prospecting tour, and was taken from the earth by him. The tooth measures 6 ¼ by 3 2/3 inches across the face, and weighs three pounds and seven and one-third ounces. The enamel appears to be in a perfect state of preservation, while the balance of the tooth has the appearance of volcanic stone or iron ore. Mr. Davis intends exhibiting this curiosity at the State Fair, at Sacramento next month.—Napa Reporter

—-Near Cuffey’s Cove, south of Ft Bragg, a presumed mastodon jawbone and tooth were found—-

Humboldt Daily Times, 4/23/1881

About two weeks ago Johnny, a twelve year old son of Michael Donohue, discovered in a deep cut washed by the recent floods on his father’s ranch near Cuffey’s Cove, a piece of a jawbone of an extinct race of animals, probably of a mastodon. It is about three feet in length by two feet wide and about three to four inches thick, having a portion of the eye socket discernable. The fossil also has a tooth sticking in it about 3 inches thick and seven inches wide protruding about three inches above the jawbone. It was found resting in pipe clay, with a layer of gravel over it and about twelve feet below the surface of the ground.—Mendocino Beacon

—— A petrified whale skeleton, and associated fossils———

Russian River Flag, July 27, 1876

Geological Wonders.

The geological wonders to be found in Big Valley (Sonoma county), and the region between that locality and the coast, are numerous and interesting. The partly petrified whale discovered in the railroad cut on Wilson’s ranch, was found on a hillside one hundred and forty feet above the level of the sea. It was covered by ten to twelve feet of earth and sandstone, and what were once the ribs, head, skin and eyes of the creature were plainly distinguishable. In life it was about fifty feet in length. Boulders two feet in diameter or less, globular in form and very hard, are numerous. Some of them, when broken open, have been found to contain near their center crystalized clam and other shells, and little cavities or cells filled with clear water. For miles around petrifactions of sea shells which were evidently once beneath or upon the shore of the sea have often been found at a depth of twelve feet or more beneath the surface. All this goes to show that in a time in the distant past the configuration of this section of country was very diff rent from what it now is. The developments that are being made present an interesting field for scientific investigation. -Petaluma Argus

 

—And to add to our collection of cave stories, both real and imaginary—

Ferndale Enterprise, April 3, 1892

–STRANGE IF TRUE.–Monday C. Little and S.A. More discovered near Blocksburg an immense subterranean cavern containing the bones of huge animals now extinct, and skeleton of a man at least 16 feet in height. Numerous human bones were found in the cave, together with stone vessels in the shape of bowls, etc. The skeleton lay on a bench of solid rock and in the cavern were numerous beautiful stalactites and stalagmites as white as the purest marble. So says the Standard.

Earlier Odd and Old News:

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