318 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.90 



interest there has been a steady growth of these rarest of fossil re- 

 mains, until at the present time the collection ranks high among 

 the fossil-bird assemblages in this country. 



MAESH COLLECTION, PERIOD OF MOST RAPID EXPANSION, 

 I 188e-1900 



Tlie greatest impetus to the growth of the collections of vertebrate 

 fossils in the National Museum was the transfer from the United 

 States Geological Survey of the materials brought together under 

 the direction of Prof. O. C. iNIarsh^'^ and known as the "Marsh 

 Collection." Professor Marsh, as United States paleontologist, 

 worked nnder the auspices of the Survey from 1882 to 1892, and 

 during that period lie assembled the fossil materials that were des- 

 tined to form a most important pait in the development of a national 

 collection of vertebrate fossils. According to Schuchert,^' "the 

 Powell survey was liberal in allotments for this work, and he 

 (Marsh) was given about $15,000 each year to pay salaries for him- 

 self and his numerous assistants — collectors (about 35), prepara- 

 tors (9), scientific aides (8), and artists — and for field and laboratory 

 expenses, including large freight bills." 



The specimens as they were collected were sent from the field 

 directly to Marsh at the Peabody Museum of Natural History of 

 Yale University for preparation and study. The first consignment 

 returned to Government custody consisted of 72 large boxes, shipped 

 to the National Museum in 1886 and there placed in storage un- 

 opened; in July 1891 a second shipment, consisting of 380 prepared 

 specimens in 33 boxes Aveighing 6,960 pounds, was received. These 

 were placed on exhibition in a case especially made for them in 

 preparation for the International Geological Congress meeting held 

 that year in Washington. 



In April 1896 a third consignment, consisting of 115 boxes of rhi- 

 noceros {Teleoceras) skeletal remains from Kansas, was received and 

 placed in storage. In 1898, a fourth portion of this assemblage con- 

 sisting of two carloads was transferred to Washington. At the time 

 of Professor Marsh's death (March 18, 1899), the largest part of the 

 collection still remained in New Haven. Shortly thereafter, the 

 rest of the collections, five carloads in all, was packed and shipped 

 to the National Museum, formal transfer being made by Dr. Charles 

 D. Walcott, then Director of the United States Geological Survey, 

 under date of December 8, 1899. His letter and that of Secretary 

 •Langley in reply are given herewith in abstract. 



^«For full-length biography of Marsh, see Schucheit. Charles, and Le Vene, Clan 

 "O. C. Marsh : Pioneer in Paleontology," 541 pp., illus. New Haven, 1940. 



" Sehuchert, Cliarles, Nat. Acad. Sci. Biogr. Mera., vol. 20, 1st mem., p. 26, 19n9. 



