March 1938

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES VOL. XVII

March, 1938 No. 3. Assistant Park Naturalist Beatty with Mountain Sheep discovered in the Lyell Glacier on October 4, 1933.

THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published Monthly

VOL. XVII

March, 1938 No. 3. Report on the Corpse-wax in the Mountain Sheep Found in the Ice of the Lyell Glacier By Dr. Erich Wasmund of Kiel, Germany "In October 1933 while in Yosemite through the Rocky Mountains to Mexico. Our sub-species is extinct in the Yosemite Park region and the contiguous region at least since about the end of the last century. In 1890 the region was declared a National Park, was managed the following year by troops, but many of the protective measures came too late. The Indians good fortune of being present when the rare discovery of a semi-fossil corpse of a Mountain Sheep was made and brought in from the high Sierra before it had been disturbed in any way. C. A. Harwell, the head of the small but appropriate and modernly constructed museum with the Mountain Sheep have disappeared. One small herd still persists in the Southern High Sierra in Yosemite Park, and M. E. Beatty, the Assistant Park Naturalist, favored me in every way. Further I thank Dr. Joseph Grinnell, of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in the University of California at Berkeley, the co-worker of the about 100 miles from the park. Restocking of the Park has been considered for long, but is not at present feasible. faunistic monograph of the Park, for pleasant oral and written correspondence. "The Sierra race of the Canadian Mountain Sheep belongs to the western geographic race of the wild sheep, the Big Horn Sheep (Ovis canadensis Shaw), which is distributed in the circum-pacific mountain ranges from northeastern * (Foot Note) From a translation by Carl W. Sharsmith of Dr. Wasmund's paper on "Die Bildung von anabituminous Leichenwachs unter Wasser " (The formation of early-bituminous corpse-wax under water), published in Erdolmuttersubstanz (Origins of petroleum), No. 10, 1935.

"The surprising discovery of a dead Mountain Sheep with skin and hair was made on October 4, 'so melted to a honeycombed condition 1933, on the easterly lobe of the Mount Lyell Glacier at 12,000 feet. that it photographed white as "The animal weighed 45 pounds. snow. ' The animal was also found In life it may have weighed 300 on a clear summer-like day, as the pounds. The predominant color in illustration shows. As it was not the Mountain Sheep is a dirty ivory-brown to pale gray. The skin is indeed intact, and the somewhat shrunken-together body gives one the impression of mummification, which the condition on discovery and chemical investigation does not dispel. In mummified corpses also the soft portions are completely absent, anatomical and historical peculiarities completely disappear, and the skin lies in folds about the bones. Here, however, the form of the body is well preserved, and all deformations with the exception of the shrunken folds of the skin are due to the movements of the ice. It is considered that uniform conditions were present for preservation, since corpse-wax appears in several places, especially on the rump where it is visible through the broken skin. On the 11th of October, as I undertook a preliminary study of the recently received animal, it was still somewhat soft, more than it was subsequently. The strands of muscle were clearly visible. "The locality of discovery is of importance in the case. The Mount ("The glacier in the summer of 1933 was strongly isolated and considerably melted. As it was not discovered previously and since the wandering of a stray is out of the question, this being excluded by the life-habits of the small, too distantly remote living herd, and by the evident age and condition of the fossil, it was doubtlessly melted out in the summer of 1933. With this arises the fact that the horn-shells were separated 20 and 70 feet below the body, and the right foreleg lay 30 feet in the same direction. Whether there was here a secondary dragging by some carnivore is

uncertain, but traces of any kind of could find on the ice surface; since devouring were absent. Greater there is no forage. The glacier was possibility lies in the loosening of easily circumvented above over the easily detached portions during the rocks and below over the talus and course of its being carried toward moraines. Secondly, there is the the valley in the ice, and differential transport in ice-layers of differing speeds. Basis already given that one cannot assume that it fell into a snow covered crevasse during a winter of "Herewith we arrive at a theory heavy snow. Had it been snowed which in conversation with Mr. under, during the summer it would Harwell I find is also held by him. in time have worked its way to the The animal in climbing the precipitous walls of the cirque while grazing surface, and also under a light snow-cover it would have become ing fell from the wall and into the bergschrund, that is, into the cleft uncovered, and with it disintegration by decay. between rock and the ice of the Concerning the speed of motion glacier. This is evidenced particularly by the condition of the neck of this glacier little is known. To this Mr. Harwell contributes that vertebrae the animal had apparently broken its neck by the fall, and measurements of this are being carried on. The easterly lobe of the so was killed. An injury to the glacier begins at 1936 feet above vertebrae during the many years the discovery spot. Stakes were long ice transport is unlikely; for if placed in the middle of the glacier this had been the case, the ribs and lobe and measured during a period of 4 days—from the 19th to bones of the extremities would also have been broken. Here it was the 23rd of October, 1933. The ice snowed in the following winter. moved during this time one inch. The Mountain Sheep alternate in Ninety-one inches per year would the winter to the scant snows of the be below the glacier speed of our east side of the Sierra, so that one Alpine glaciers. Since the point the can exclude this time of year. From animal fell (and herewith also the here it moved downward with the depth and lateral position of the ice-mass to the point where the line of flow) is unknown. and out particular layer thinned out (the of these limited observations there point of discovery was at the lower is nothing conclusive, it is only end). The hot summer did the rest. speculating if we reckon that by The view that the animal died simply on the surface and was subsequently snowed under, and again the unverified assumption of constant movement it required 250 years to convey the dead animal the later exposed, has little to speak distance from the origin of the for it. First there was nothing it east lobe to the discovery spot. But

the one measurement of the speed acquaintance of a new facies of the range however gives this number. preservation of a mammal reduced More exact investigations will follow. However, one may state that we have before us in this fossil, the pale intact representative of those Mountain Sheep which long before the coming of the white man habited the hunting grounds of the snowy mountains of the far west. to waxy consistency in ice. The preserving medium speaks for conditions extensively obtaining under water, e. g., exclusion of air, constant low temperature and moisture, absence of light, etc. On the inhabited the hunting grounds of the snowy mountains of the far west. other hand such fossil finds are rare, particularly those of vertebrates." In the latter we have made the The East Lobe of the Lyell Glacier where Mt. Sheep was Found Some Problems of Glacier Measuring By C. A. Harwell, Park Naturalist Since 1931 the Naturalist Department of Yosemite National Park and studies of the glaciers on Mt. Lyell, Mt. Maclure, Mt. Dana and has made an annual expedition approximately the first of October to Mt. Conness. One year, 1932, we included the glaciers on Koip and make measurements, photographs, Kuna peaks.

New discoveries are made each stakes have just naturally melted year to add zest to the explorations out and toppled over. A longer and new difficulties are encountered to cause us to try to refine our auger is indicated. We have one located and expect in 1938 to set measuring techniques. The glaciers longer stakes to a depth of ten or are retreating not only as indicated more feet. These should surely hold. by recession of measurable fronts but general surface levels are lowering. A series of stakes set during November 1933 could not be found ering at the rate of several feet per in 1934. They had melted out and year. The Lyell glacier, east lobe, were covered by eight to ten inches of fresh snow. They were has melted back 50½ feet in the six year period covered by our found prostrate on the ice in 1935 measurements, the west lobe 101 but their positions indicated a feet; Maclure glacier has receded maximum movement of four or 99 feet; the Dana glacier some 60 five feet per year. The stakes were feet while the Conness glacier has shown the greatest retreat where reset on the base line and a solution of red dye was poured around our east-lobe station shows the them to a depth of three feet. In front is this year 289 feet from its indicated position in 1931. Photo 1936 the stakes were again prostrate but at one station the original graphs, taken annually from certain fixed points easily verify the fact that these ice masses are now diminishing. hole filled with red dye to a depth of one foot was found. This indicated a movement of only ten inches for the glacier at this point for the year which seems unusually The discovery of the Mountain Sheep specimen discussed in the small. A stake was reset in this accompanying articles by Wasmund same hole and orange dye poured and Sharsmith stimulated an attempt to measure the annual rate in. In 1937 the stakes were down and no evidence left of the red or of flow of the Lyell glacier. We orange dye so it was decided not wanted to establish some figure to reset stakes until a longer auger for the length of time the sheep could be employed in 1938. had been entombed in ice. So far Another difficulty concerns our we have not been too successful. measuring stations. We naturally Our improvised auger would set chose the point of furthest advance of each prominent ice lobe. Iron stakes only three feet into the ice. Since levels established by for our fronts. Of course, these transit measurements show the ice "fronts " are not the actual ends of surface melts down some four feet each year along our line across the glaciers. The terminal moraines are in reality great piles of mid-section of the glacier, our rocks whose shade protects the

glacial ice that extends well down under them. In fact several large cave-ins produced by running water to remain unchanged we can discover great variation in surface features from year to year. In 1931 ter melting out channels in the the Lyell and Maclure glaciers were shade-ice have shown the frontal moraines, especially those portions full of crevasses and the bergschrunds were well open. Never nearest the glaciers, to be just since have we found crevasses of veneers of rocks overlying pure any size and only the bergschrund ice. The absolute fronts of the glaciers cannot be seen and so cannot be measured. Our "apparent" fronts of Maclure has been noticeable. A large ice cave on Maclure last year was missing this year. A marvelous are measurable enough, however, cave was found on Dana this year to be entirely worth recording. In 1938 it is our hope that the engineering department can furnish assistance in order to accurately map a portion of a glacier; to set never open to our knowledge before. One year the surfaces of glaciers are honeycombed by melting and water courses are well developed and the next year the ice will several series of stakes, and to help present a smooth surface with us locate other measurable features practically no melting taking place. of these glaciers. These changes are, of course, being Though basically the glaciers seem studied and photographed.

DANA GLACIER

Further Observations on the Mummified Mountain Sheep By Carl Sharsmith, Ranger-Naturalist On Oct. 4, 1933, while Park Naturalist flesh, while strangely mummified Naturalist Harwell and Assistant Park and shrunken about the skeleton, Naturalist Beatty were climbing gave the appearance of what at over the east lobe of the Lyell first glance seemed to be a normal Glacier on their third glacier measuring expedition, they made the startling discovery of an intact, living animal. This, with the posture in which it lay was so realistic that it gave the impression to mummified Mountain Sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae Grinnell). It the discoverers that a live Mountain Sheep stood staring back at was the first complete skeleton of them across the ice. a Sierra Mountain Sheep found in the region, the last living remnants Such an outstanding find prompted speculation as to its history. It having disappeared from the central Sierra about the seventies or was assumed by Assistant Park Naturalist Beatty (NATURE NOTES, early eighties. Thus it was felt by December 1933, page 111) that "the National Park officials that it was animal was caught in a slide while one of the most important discoveries of 1933 in the whole Park feeding on the crest of Mt. Lyell and was buried in the Bergschrund." From the Mt. Lyell glacier measurements made by Harwell. The weight of the specimen was 45 pounds. It was shipped to the Harwell and Beatty it was estimated University at Berkeley for study, that close to 250 years were necessary for the glacier to have carried and preserved with alcohol and formaldehyde, then subsequently the sheep to the spot of discovery. returned to the Yosemite Museum. To further quote from the same Here it has sometime been placed article, Mr. Beatty adds: "this great on exhibit, and is now in a glass length of time is borne out by the case in the Research Collection. To aged appearance of the horns and date it has remained in as perfect a the dehydrated flesh. Dr. Erich condition as when found. Wasmund, geologist from Kiel University, Germany, and specialist on An examination at the spot of discovery disclosed that only the decomposition of animals in ice and neck of the animal was broken. The rest of the skeleton was intact, water, upon examining the specimen stated that the white patches with the exception of the detached on the back and rump represent front leg and the horn shells, all of " 'leichenwachs' ", or corpse wax, which were found nearby. The an initial stage in the formation of

petroleum " The subsequent appearance of an article by Dr. Wasmund, the translation from the original could be recognized with no doubt as to their identity. These plants were: which accompanies this issue of NATURE NOTES, gives additional 1. Carex breweri 2. Carex phaeocephala data on the story of the animal. 3. Carex exserta 4. Lewisia pygmaea 5. Silene watsonii 6. Ranunculus eschscholzii 7. Delphinium pauciflorum 8. Oreocarya confertifolia 9. Penstemon menziesii var. davidsonii 10. Antennaria dioica or alpina At the present writing this noteworthy discovery of the mummified Mountain Sheep continues to excite a good deal of interest. An examination of the stomach contents is one of the steps in the usual procedure in the study of an animal by a naturalist. At Mr. Harwell's suggestion such an investigation was carried out by the writer. From the totality of the stomach contents and the identifiable species contained therein, the following facts were deduced: An opening was carefully made on the right side of the animal by Ranger-Naturalist Ted Godwin; the first stomach was located in a median position close to the dorsal surface of the body, having shrunk with dehydration from near the ventral surface. The contents were removed as completely as possible 1. The animal did not die of starvation. This is the first and most obvious fact. Probably also it did not die by degrees after its injury, such a condition necessarily using up food, but that it was instantly killed by the fall. and were found to consist of practically pulverized, caked, "dry-snuff" vegetable matter, weighing in this dry condition about 6 ounces. When naturally moist in the live animal this weight of food might have been at least three or four times as much. The finely ground condition of the food mass did not appear to be promising material for identifications of the plants of which it was composed. Nevertheless a systematic and thorough search through the mass disclosed ten species of plants, most of which could be recognized with no doubt as to their identity. These plants were:

2. It was killed during the late summer part of the year. This is evident by the condition of the fruiting parts of the plant material examined. The perigynia of the Carices (sheath around seed peculiar to these plants) and their achenes, the partially intact and contained seeds of Silene watsonii, and the single nutlet of Oreocarya, were completely matured. This condition of these plant parts is seen only in the latter part of August or early September. have been at least three or four to these plants) and their achenes. times as much. The finely ground the partially intact and contained condition of the food mass did not seeds of Silene watsonii, and the appear to be promising material for single nutlet of Oreocarya, were identifications of the plants of which it was composed. Nevertheless a systematic and thorough search through the mass disclosed ten species of plants, most of which completely matured. This condition of these plant parts is seen only in the latter part of August or early September. Since the Mountain Sheep ob-

tained its food at this time of year, the bergschrund was open. It is practically completely closed the rest of the year. It suggests that the animal probably fell into the open bergschrund from the head wall of the glacier (north face of the mountain), and was thus entombed in the ice. Its origin from the north face was deduced from the location of the carcass when found, since the flow of the ice would have been from this source in this particular portion of the glacier. This point of origin of the carcass was described by Beatty in the Nature Note article already referred to above. That it was entombed and not carried on the surface of the ice is further evidenced by the formation of "leichenwachs" from the fat of the animal, which requires for its creation certain constant moisture and temperature conditions, as pointed out again by Beatty, and by Wasmund in this issue of NATURE NOTES. Such conditions are possible only with burial within the ice. 3. The animal had traveled over a considerable distance and from a lower altitude during its feeding. The range of the plant species in the list is from Delphinium and Oreocarya, found at elevations usually below 10,500 feet, to Carex phaeocephala and Silene watsonii, plants which only begin to appear when 11,500 feet is reached. The Oreocarya species, which by a process of elimination can only be Oreocarya confertifolia, is a Canadian to possibly Hudsonian Zone Borage of the Great Basin origin. It occurs on the east slope of the Sierra, and Mount Lyell is several miles west of the eastern crest. This leads logically to the next conclusion: the bergschrund was open. It is practically completely closed the rest of the year. It suggests that the animal probably fell into the open bergschrund from the head wall of the glacier (north face of the mountain), and was thus entombed in the ice. Its origin from the 4. Its last journey had been from north face was deduced from the the east side of the Range, or near location of the carcass when found, it. This is shown by the inclusion of since the flow of the ice would have been from this source in this Oreocarya confertifolia already referred to. Also two fragments of particular portion of the glacier. metamorphic rock which were This point of origin of the carcass was described by Beatty in the found in the food mass. Soil particles always adhere to the roots of Nature Note article already referred the heavily-rooted perennials so to above. That it was entombed and characteristic of the Boreal Zone. not carried on the surface of the ice is further evidenced by the Examination of these makes it possible to determine immediately formation of "leichenwachs " from whether the plant in question was obtained from soil of metamorphic or granitic origin. Most of the metamorphic soils supporting vegetation in the Mount Lyell region are the fat of the animal, which requires for its creation certain constant moisture and temperature conditions, as pointed out again by Beatty, and by Wasmund in this to the east. Thus the assumption issue of NATURE NOTES. Such conditions are possible only with burial within the ice. can be fairly safely made that the Sheep had come from the territory to the east of the mountain. This 3. The animal had traveled over a assumption is also consistent with considerable distance and from a lower altitude during its feeding. the well-known range and travel movements of the Mountain Sheep, The range of the plant species in the list is from Delphinium and Oreocarya, found at elevations usually below 10,500 feet, to Carex phaeocephala and Silene watsonii, plants which only begin to appear when found in the stomach, occur on the namely centering around the east crest of the Sierra. Furthermore, the animal had completed its feeding before climbing the mountain, 11,500 feet is reached. The Oreocarya species, which by a process at disagreement with Mr. Beatty's Mount Lyell Crest. This evidence is

belief that the animal had been 250 years based on the rate of flow feeding on the Lyell Crest before it of the glacier, namely about seven fell to its death. It had evidently gone there to seek shelter. and one-half feet per year to traverse the distance of 1936 feet, according to the studies of Harwell 5. The flora was the same during the life of the Sheep as it is at and Beatty. Even at the maximum present. The species identified are estimate (250 years) not sufficient precisely those which occur at the time has elapsed to bring about any present time, as is the assemblage for the region. The relative age of difference in the flora of the region. the carcass has been variously estimated as: (1) a minimum of 60 years to a maximum of 250 years, The conclusions reached by the above study of the stomach contents corroborates in general the based on the formation of leichenwachs as according to Wasmund. views of Beatty and Wasmund as to the sudden death of the animal by (2) about 50 to 75 years by the condition of the horn shells, as according a fall, and its burial within the ice mass by means of the bergschrund ing to Grinnell; (3) from 200 to which was open to receive it. Mt. Sheep horn-shells and skulls are still found at high elevations

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