THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



explored, and yielded a rieh harvest of fifty-two boxes, mostly 

 fine specimens, several of whieh are new to our collection. 



The search for fossil Horses was continued under the direction 

 of J. W. Gidley, especially in tlie southern portion of South 

 Dakota. The results were only fairly satisfactory, and the first 

 six weeks of exploration in the Niobrara beds w^as disappointing. 

 Just as the work was drawing to a close, however, a brilliant dis- 

 covery was made of the remains of a small herd of fossil three- 

 toed horses belonging apparently to the genus Hipparion, and 

 parts of numerous fore and hind limbs in a perfect state of preser- 

 vation, and one skull and an associated skeleton so complete that 

 it may be mounted were found. This discovery more than repaid 

 the party for all the hard and disappointing work of the early 

 part of the summer, and added another much desired stage to the 

 collection presented to the Museum through the generosity of 

 WilHam C. Whitney, Esq. 



After months of most difficult and skilful work, chiefly under 

 the direction of Adam Hermann, three specimens of rare interest 

 have been made ready for exhibition. The first is the com- 

 plete skeleton of a small new Dinosaur which is to be named 

 "The Bird Catcher," owing to its apparent capacity for great 

 speed and the long and slender, grasping structure of the 

 hands. 



The second specimen is the great Fish Portheus molossiis se- 

 cured by Charles H. Sternberg in Kansas in 1900. This magnifi- 

 cent specimen, sixteen feet in length, has been mounted on a 

 large panel, and we may fairly claim that it is the most striking 

 specimen of a fossil fish in any museum in the W'Orld. The miss- 

 ing parts have been restored with the greatest care in light-colored 

 plaster, so that there is no mistaking the restored for the original 

 portions of the specimen. 



The third exhibit is the superb pair of tusks and skull of the 

 great ElepJias iiuperaior, secured from Texas last year. The 

 tusks are thirteen feet, six inches in length, and twenty-two 

 inches in circumference. The entire upper portion of the skull 

 has been restored in white plaster. The specimen has been 



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