Fossil Ivory

The ílrat mammoth tusk seen in western Europe was brought to London in 1611 byone James Logan, who had purchased it from the Samoyedes, and Father Avril, a .Tesuit who crossed Siberia in 1685, wrote tnaf'the Russians had discovered a sort of ivory winter and smoother than that which comes from India." The eubstance -was prized, too, as a stypic and was said to be derived from a powerful amphibious creature, "as big and as dangerous as a crocodile, " living chiefly at themonthof the Lena. Fossil ivory tovrard the close of the eighteenth centnry became an object of general eommerce. and incredüile qnantities were esported from its arctic repositovy. Midendorf about 50 years ago estimated the animal sale at 110, 000 pounds weigfat, and npward of i 1,600 tesks are known to have reached London in 18VJ. Yet the supply remains uneshausted and may indeed be called inexhaustible. It is the demand which has of late fallen off or failed. In Russia and China, it is true, almost exclusive use is made of the excavated material, but its brittleness and tendency to discoloration practically cxclude it from western markets. -