ILLINOIS.
(Map [26].)
1. Alton, Madison County.—In the U. S. National Museum are four teeth of an undetermined species of Bison found somewhere in the vicinity of Alton. They are part of a collection made many years ago by Mr. William McAdams, and afterwards passed into the hands of Professor O. C. Marsh, then vertebrate palæontologist of the U. S. Geological Survey. It now belongs to the U. S. National Museum. Nearly all of these fossils were originally inclosed, wholly or partially, in nodules of fine sand, cemented together with carbonate of calcium. Where the teeth are exposed to view they are shown in a beautifully white condition; but the remaining matrix is so hard and adheres so strongly that it is practically impossible to remove it without greatly damaging the teeth. A list of the species found at Alton will be given on page [339]; also a discussion of their geologic age.
The bison teeth consist of four upper molars and the hinder half or more of the left hindermost molar. They were described by the writer (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. LVIII, p. 115). They are somewhat larger than any belonging to the existing buffalo measured. They are larger, too, than those of the commonest extinct species, B. occidentalis. It is impossible to say at present to which extinct species they belonged. One naturally thinks of Bison latifrons, the bearer of the immense horns, but teeth have not yet been found associated with the horn-cores of that species.
WISCONSIN.
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1. Coon Valley, Vernon County.—In the U. S. National Museum is a well-fossilized tooth of a species of bison which was sent, in 1899, by Rev. P. Moe, of Coon Valley. This tooth has been regarded as belonging to Bison bison, but its fossilization seems to indicate that it antedates the time of this species. It was found in section 26, township 14 north, range 6 west. This would be between the towns of Coon Valley and Chaseburg. This locality lies within the “driftless area,” and it would probably be difficult for the geologist, even on the ground, to determine the age of the deposit, especially as no details were furnished regarding the depth at which the tooth was found or the nature of the inclosing materials.
MARYLAND.
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1. Chesapeake Beach, Calvert County.—Mr. William Palmer, of the U. S. National Museum, collected at this place, in 1912, a fragment of a lower last molar which apparently belonged to some species of Bison. A few other remains have later been secured.