336 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.90 



PRIVATE COLLECTIONS 



In addition to the Marsh collection of vertebrate fossils brought 

 together under governmental auspices, the collections of the Division 

 have been augmented by a number of private collections acquired 

 either through gift or purchase. A brief history of the more im- 

 portant of these, arranged in chronological order, follows: 



Lojcoe collection. — The very large and valuable Lacoe collection, 

 received as a gift in 1896 from the heirs of R. D. Lacoe, banker 

 of Pittston, Pa., and collector of fossils through many years, con- 

 sisted primarily of fossil plants and invertebrate (mainly insects of 

 late Paleozoic and Cenozoic forms) fossils, but it also contained 

 several hundred fish, amphibian, and reptilian remains. Some of 

 them are in a rare state of preservation; others from the Linton, 

 Ohio, coalfields, owing to the exhaustion of the coal mines, are 

 unique. Tlie Tertiary was represented by specimens from the Eocene 

 (Green River shales) of Wyoming and from Switzerland; Triassic 

 by specimens from Great Britain, France, and the coalfields of Ohio, 

 Pennsylvania, and Mazon Creek, Grundy County, 111. The collection 

 contained many types and figured specimens, including the unique 

 Isodectus punctulatus, thought to be the oldest known reptile. 



Hainbach collection. — The Hambach collection was acquired 

 through purchase in 1908 by Frank Springer from Gustav Hambach, 

 of St. Louis, Mo., and presented to the United States National 

 Museum. The collection consisted principally of fossil Echino- 

 dermata (largely crinoids), but it contained also a considerable num- 

 ber of Paleozoic fish remains from this country and abroad, as well as 

 a few from the Shumard collection, which Professor Hambach had 

 previously acquired. 



Orestes St. John collection. — The St. John collection of Paleozoic 

 fishes was presented to the National Museum in 1922 by Frank 

 Springer, to whom it was bequeathed upon the death of Mr. St. 

 John. The collection consists of two parts: (1) A general collection 

 of Devonian invertebrate fossils made during Mr. St. John's younger 

 days in Iowa; and (2l) his large and extremely valuable collection 

 of selachian fish remains accumulated in connection with his special 

 studies, chiefly from the Carboniferous of the Mississippi Valley. It 

 contains numerous types and figured specimens of si^ecies described 

 by him in Illinois Reports and also much original material forming 

 the subject of further extensive researches never published. In addi- 

 tion to the product of his personal collecting during 40 years of 

 diversified field work, there is included a large quantity of very 

 choice cestraciont fish material obtained hy Dr. Springer, largely 

 from a fortunate discovery in the Burlington limestone in Iowa; 

 and also two exceptionally fine collections from the Keokuk lime- 



