OCR Text |
Show 144 DR. F. P. MORENO AND MR. A. S. WOODWARD ON [Feb. 21, February 21, 1899. Prof. G. B. HOWES, LL.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the The following papers were read :- 1. On a Portion of Mammalian Skin, named. Neomylodon listai, from a Cavern near Consuelo Cove, Last Hope Inlet, Patagonia. By Dr. F. P. M O R E N O , C.M.Z.S. With a Description of the Specimen by A. SMITH W O O D W A R D , F.Z.S. [Received February 21, 1899.] (Plates XIII.-XV.) 1. ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY. By Dr. MORENO. In November 1897 I paid a visit to that part of the Patagonian territory which adjoins the Cordillera of the Andes, between the 51 st and 52nd degrees of South latitude, where certain surveyors, under my direction, Avere carrying out the preliminary studies connected with the boundary-line betAveen Chile and Argentina ; and in the course of this expedition I reached Consuelo Cove, which lies in Last Hope Inlet. In that spot, hung up on a tree, I found a piece of a dried skin, which attracted m y attention most strangely, as I could not determine to what class of Mammalia it couid belong, more especially because of the resemblance of the small incrusted bones it contained to those of the Pampeanl/ylodon. On inquiring whence it came, I was informed that it was only a fragment of a large piece of skin which had been discovered two years before, by some Argentine officers, in a cavern which existed in the neighbouring heights. Immediately on receiA'ing this news, I hastened to the spot, guided by a sailor AVIIO had been present when the original discovery had been made. As, at that moment, I had no means of making more than a feAv hurried excaA'ations, which gave no further traces of the discovery, I left orders that the search should be continued after m y departure ; but this once more also failed to give any ultimate results. Nothing could be found but modern remains of small rodents, and these chiefly on or near the surface of the ground. From the most careful inquiries Avhich I set on foot, it appeared that, Avhen the first discovery was made, no bones Avere found, the skin being half buried in the dust Avhich had accumulated from the gradual falling away of the roof of the cavern, composed of Tertiary Conglomerate. It was only in the broad entrance to the cavern that were found a few human bones, borne thence to the shore of the Cove and afterwards broken up. As already stated, the skin here presented to you formed but a small part of a larger one. One small piece had been carried off |