Elephas Americanus in Canada

Abstract

CAPTAIN HOWDEN, of Millbrook, Ontario, has lately discovered remains of this species in a field adjoining his residence. They were found in the humus quite near the surface, and with the exception of the molars have been very much broken by the plough. The locality is a deep basin, depressed 100 or 150 feet below the surrounding hills, which may have been the basin of a small lake or pond. The elevation is about 490 feet above Lake Ontario, and 125 feet above Rice Lake, on the northern slope of the drift-ridge which borders Lake Ontario on the north. The discovery is interesting as extending the range of this animal in Canada, eastward, along this drift-ridge. The remains heretofore discovered have been confined to the western peninsula, above the Silurian escarpment, or to positions so nearly adjacent that they may have been washed down from this upper region. The present discovery is at an elevation which precludes this, and seems to indicate the presence of the living animal in this region. Between the ridge and the present lake shore there are at least two ancient lake beaches, one about 100 feet above the present water level, the other a little over 200 feet. Neither of these would bring the waters of the lake up to the level of the escarpment; so that at the time of these higher lake levels, the elephant may have ranged over the western peninsula of Canada, and also eastward over the drift-hills which extend nearly to the lower end of Lake Ontario.