(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. ¼, 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.