The records of fossil mammals from Berrien County here published have
been collected by George R. Fox, who has also kindly loaned from the
collections under his care several specimens for identification. Dr.
E. C. Case assisted with the identification of the mammoth teeth.
_Mammut americanum._ Mastodon. (1) About 1897 the teeth of a mastodon
were dug up by a dredge within the village limits of Eau Claire. Their
disposition is unknown.
(2) At Snow, in section 36, Lake Township, a tooth was found. This
came into the possession of Frank Striker of Buchanan.
(3) A portion of a tusk and part of a skull were found on the Beebe
Farm near Baroda. These were sent to Washington, D.C.
(4) In the excavation of a ditch through a small marsh lying near
Bakerstown in Section 3, of Bertrand Township, the dredge uncovered in
the distance of between two and three miles bones, teeth, and other
evidences of six mastodons. Of these remains the most important was a
nearly complete skull with teeth in place and disintegrated parts of
the tusks. The skull was secured by Dr. E. H. Crane, who restored
parts, the tusks he did not attempt to restore. This skull is now on
exhibition at the Ward Museum, Rochester, New York.
The skull lay about seven feet deep. It was under a bed of matted oak
brush on top of which lay a huge stone slab, estimated to weigh two or
three tons. Above was a layer of silt, then gravelly clay; above were
more silt beds, three in number. W. Hillis Smith, who helped Dr. Crane
secure the skull, furnished the above information.
(5) On the Avery marsh, two miles east of Three Oaks, a badly decayed
mastodon skull and several teeth were excavated in 1884. Dr. Bonine,
Sr., of Niles, assisted at the excavation. The bones and teeth were in
the muck about twenty inches below the surface. Other teeth, making
seven in all, were found near the same place. Some of the teeth from
this locality are on exhibition at the Chamberlain Memorial Museum of
Three Oaks.
In addition to the above there are several indefinite records of
mastodon remains from the county.
_Elephas columbi._ Columbian mammoth. (1) One-half of the tooth of a
mammoth was found in the spring of 1917 on the Beeson and Holden farm in
Section 6, NE. 1/4, Township of Galien, by D. H. Beeson while
cultivating corn. Two weeks later the other half of the tooth was found.
The specimen is now in the Chamberlain Memorial Museum of Three Oaks.
The specimen is a well-worn lower third molar having twenty
ridge-plates, but some of the ridge-plates have been worn out and lost.
Seven and a half ridge-plates are included in a 100 mm. line. The
greatest length of the tooth is 280 mm. and its greatest breadth 95 mm.
(2) A complete set of mammoth teeth with some portions of the bones was
found about the year 1900 on a farm two miles southeast of Three Oaks
owned by E. K. Warren. They were discovered while digging post holes.
The specimens are on exhibition in the Chamberlain Memorial Museum.
One of the teeth sent us for identification proves to be a partly worn
lower third molar having twenty-four ridge-plates. There are seven and
a half ridge-plates in 100 mm. The greatest length of the tooth is 350
mm. and its greatest breadth 95 mm.
(3) There is another record of a mammoth tooth which was found at an
unknown location in Berrien County. It was at one time owned by Mr.
Smith, who gave it to Dr. Crane. Its present whereabouts is unknown.