No. 3. — Fossil Lepidosteids from the Green River Shales of 
Wyoming. By C. R. EASTMAN. 
FY 
Tue Eocene Green River Shales of Wyoming have long been noted for 
their numerous and beautifully preserved fossil fishes, and large collections 
have found their way to various American and foreign museums. Dur- 
ing the summer of 1899 the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy purchased 
of Mr. D. C. Haddenham, a local collector at Fossil, Wyoming, two 
remarkable specimens from the fishbearing shales near that well-known 
locality. One of these is a gigantic Lepidosteid, of which only detached 
fragments have hitherto been known, the other is a nearly perfect 
skeleton of a gallinaceous bird. Both specimens are unique in their 
way, and possess considerable scientific as well as intrinsic value. The 
news of their discovery was first communicated by Professor Wilbur C. 
Knight, of Laramie, Wyoming, who made a special visit to Fossil for 
the purpose of examining the remains, and whose favorable report 
induced their acquisition. 
A brief account of the two specimens, accompanied by a photo-repro- 
duction of the bird, was prepared soon after their arrival in Cambridge, 
and published in the Geological Magazine for February, 1900. Later it 
developed through correspondence with Mr, F. A. Lucas, Curator of 
Comparative Anatomy in the United States National Museum, that this 
Museum had also obtained during the past summer a large cranium of 
Lepidosteus from the same horizon and locality. Another nearly com- 
plete fossil gar which had been exhibited at the World’s Fair in 1893 
was reported, and Mr. Lucas was fortunate enough to ascertain its 
whereabouts and finally to obtain it too for the national collection. 
Descriptions of these three specimens are given in the presént paper, 
and it is to be observed that these are the only noteworthy remains of 
Lepidosteus that have yet been found in the American Eocene. 
The discovery of fossil gars in the Tertiary of this country was first 
reported by O. C. Marsh (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., 1871, p. 105). 
He named two species, Lepidosteus glaber and L. whitney?, both from the 
Eocene of Wyoming ; but as no descriptions were given beyond the bare 
statement that the first “has unusually short vertebra” and the other 
VOL, Xxxvi.— No. 3. 
