230 NATURAL SCIENCE [October 



to be hoped that further excavations will lead to the discovery of 

 other bones, and particularly of the skull. The parts at present 

 known indicate the existence of a dinosaurian reptile which seems to 

 be closely related to the American genus Dij)lodocus and to the well- 

 known Getiosaurus and Omithopsis of this country. In fact it is 

 possible that it will be found that all these genera are almost 

 identical. 



The Exhibition of Extinct Vertebrates 



From the Annual Eeport of the American Museum for 1897 we 

 learn a good deal as to the methods employed for familiarising the 

 public with the skeletons and external forms of the great extinct 

 vertebrata. In this Report attention is especially called by means 

 of photographs to a skeleton of an Upper Miocene Rhinoceros, in 

 which the perfection of the beautiful methods employed by Mr 

 Adam Hermann are well seen. The entire skeleton is supported by 

 steel rods which pass through the centre of the bones, only the two 

 main supports being visible. This gives a very striking effect, and 

 seems a desirable method, provided the bones themselves are dupli- 

 cates and not types. We are of the opinion, however, that dupli- 

 cates and only duplicates should thus be treated, and consider that 

 described or figured specimens, or unique things, should never be 

 sacrificed, for when once a bone is pierced and mounted it is inacces- 

 sible to the student, to whom it is of far more importance than the 

 general public, who are quite satisfied with a plaster cast to look at. 

 The plasterotheria of our museums are admirable as teaching objects, 

 but the anatomist wants to handle and examine the real bone, and 

 such should never be maltreated in any way. The mount of 

 Phenacodiis in the American Museum is an admirable example of 

 what we mean, for there every bone can be removed for purposes 

 of study. Among the plaster reproductions of external forms of 

 animals this Report illustrates Agathaumus, Hadrosaurus, Naosaurus, 

 and a highly amusing representation of a combat for the diamond 

 belt between J.L. — we beg pardon — Megalosaurus (Laela'ps, Drypto- 

 saurus) agwilunguis and another of its kind, which is very real, and 

 would, could it possibly be seen at the Aquarium, draw immense 

 houses. The attitude of defence of the recumbent dinosaur is very 

 striking, and the terrific lunge possible of the hind legs might fairly 

 convert the attacking; creature into a constellation. 



'O 



Cretaceous Rocks in West Greenland 



David White and Charles Schuchert accompanied the Peary Arctic 

 Expedition of 1897 to the Nugsuak peninsula, West Greenland. 

 They have now published a paper describing the Cretaceous series 

 of that locality (Bull. Gcol. Soc. Amcr., ix., pp. 343~:-368, pis. xxiv.- 



