HISTORIC FOSSIL FROM SENCKENBERG MUSEUM 



Till] valualdi' fossil (K'scrilK'd in tlu' acroinpaiivini: IcUcr lia^ Imcii 

 arit-ptril for the Anu'ricaii Museum l»y Prcsick-ut ()sl>()rii with 

 expressions of appreciation of the j;ift not only as such but also as 

 an "index of the pecuHarly cordial relations which prevail hetween the 

 Senckenher^' Museum and the American Museum and of the spirit of 

 l)road scientific interest which animates hoth." 



Senckenberg Natural History Society, 

 Frankfurt-am- Main DcciinUr 16, 1910. 



H»).\»JKKD ( OLI.KAlirK: 



The Senckenberg Natural History Society has wished for a loni: liiii<- 

 to dedicate a gift to the American Museum in token (jf especial high 

 regard. Since our Museum has recently receixed the best specimen yet 

 found of Mi/fttriosauru.^ hoUensis Cuvier we are able to release our older 

 specimen, likewise very fine, a photograph of which I enclose. In their 

 meeting of DecemWr 7 the administration of our society concluded there- 

 fore to present this specimen to the American Museum of Natural History. 



In the meantime our trustee, Dr. Lotichius, has informed us that your 

 Museum would be disposed to arrange an exchange of our Mi/striosaurus 

 for a skeleton of the American short-legged rhinoceros. Although I do 

 not deny that the Senckenberg Museum would welcome with great pleasure 

 the possession of a good skeleton of Trirorrras, we beg that in consideration 

 of the decision previously reached by us. you will feel free to receive the 

 M]/.'<frio.muru,i as a gift and we hope for its friendly acceptance. 



I add the following data in regard to the specimen. The Mijstrio- 

 saurii.f was obtained at Holzmaden in Wiirttemberg in the Posidonia zone 

 of the Liassic. It was descrilied by H. G. Bronn (Abhandlungen uber die 

 gabialartigen Reptilien der Liasformationen, Stuttgart 1841) who stated it 

 to be the largest and most complete of the German skeletons. Andreas 

 Wagner (Abhandlungen Kgl. Bayer. Akademie Wissenschafter Bd. II 

 p. 545 ff, 1850' considered the species identical with Mi/striosaurus miivstcrl 

 Wagner. Bourmeister (der fossile Gavial von Boll, Halle 1854) established 

 for this species the older name M. hollnisi.i ( 'uvier. The specimen which 

 you receive is, therefore, the type siiecimen of the invalid species M . sritckni- 

 h(rffianii.'< Br. 



With the expression of our hitrhest consideration and with fri<iidly 

 greetings. I am. 



Yours very sincerely, 



Ernst Roediger, 



DinciuT uf th( Scuckcuherg Miisruui of Xatunil Hi.-<iurii. 



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