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Show 148 DR. F. P. MORENO AND MR. A. S. WOODAVARD ON [Feb. 21, four hundred miles further to the north, in 1880, I discovered other human bodies, more or less mummified and in good preservation, but of a different type, and beside them some painted poles which served to hold up their small tents, the use of which had already disappeared more than three centuries ago; together with the upper part of the skull of a child perfectly scooped out like a cup. And yet the historical Tehuelcbes, the same as all the indigenous races in the southern extremity of South America, hold their dead in great respect, and never use such drinking-vessels. These proofs of the favourable conditions of the climate and of the lands near to the Cordillera, which are revealed to us by the preservation of objects undoubtedly dating from very remote epochs, strengthen my opinion that this skin of a huge mammal, which has long since disappeared, may well have been preserved till the present time. I exhibit a photograph of the cave in which the specimen was found (reproduced on the preceding page). I may add that a further careful search is now being made in the earth forming the floor of the ca ve, and I hope in due time to have the honour of communicating the results to this Society. 2. DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON OF THE SPECIMEN. By A. SMITH WOODWARD. (a) Descriqjiion. The problematical piece of skin discovered by Dr. Moreno measures approximately 0-48 m. in the direction of the main lie of the hair, while its maximum extent at right angles to this direction is about 0-55 m. The fragment, however, is very irregular in shape ; and it has become much distorted in the process of drying, so that the anterior portion, which is directed upwards in the drawing, PI. XIII., is bent outwards at a considerable angle to the main part of the specimen which will be claimed to represent the back. The skin, as observed in transverse section, presents a dried, felt-like aspect; but there is a frequent ruddiness, suggestive of blood-stains, while the margin above the point marked B (PI. XIII.) and to the right of E (PI. XIII.) exhibits distinct indications of freshly dried once-fluid matter, which Dr. Vaughan Harley has kindly examined and pronounced to be serum. Its outer face is completely covered with hair, except in the region marked C and above B, Avhere this covering seems to have been comparatively fine and may have been accidentally removed. The inner faceof the skin (PI. XIV.) is only intact in a few places (e. g. where marked G ) , the specimen having contracted and perhaps been someAvhat abraded, so that a remarkable armour of small bony tubercles, irregularly arranged and of variable size, is exposed over the greater part of it, and especially Avell in the regions marked F. At one point, marked B in PI. XIII., there is an irregular rounded hole about |
