Collecting a fossil skeleton in tlie Bighorn Ha», , .,, ,,, 



Anieriean Museum Expedition of 1910, is taking up a skeleton of the four-toed horse Eoliiji 

 far from the locality where he discovered the skeleton of the giant bird six years afterward 



tlie 

 not 



A Fortunate Collector 



IX TlIK Octolier .louRxNAL for 1917 was 

 a short account of the gigantic bird 

 skeleton discovered by Mr. William Stein 

 in the Bighorn basin of Wyoming. Our files 

 show one picture of Mr. Stein taken in the 

 rough field clothes that the fossil collector 

 wears (it is not a kid glove business). He is 

 standing in front of the wagon which he used 

 on the trip into the Bad Lands when he col- 

 lected the Diatryma skeleton. In a second 

 photograph he is shown collecting a skeleton 

 of the little four-toed horse Eohippus, an- 

 other imjiortant find made some years before, 



and now mounted in the Tertiary mammal 

 hall. This picture gives a characteristic view 

 of Bad Land scenery and fossil collecting. 



The Diatri/ma skeleton was found only a 

 few miles from this locality, on the far side 

 of the ridge in the background of the picture. 

 This magnificent bird was larger than an 

 ostrich and more impressive because of its 

 huge head and thick neck. The finding of the 

 skeleton in an almost complete and unusually 

 well-preserved condition is one of the few 

 really important discoveries which have been 

 made among fossil birds. — W. D. M. 



Mr. William Stein, tlie discoverer of the fossil skeleton of the giant bird Diatrijma in the Big- 

 horn basin, Wyoming. At the left Mr. Stein is seen in field costume, standing in front of the wagon 

 wliirh he used on the expedition 



;!89 



