EDWARD DRINKER COPE 321 



"I spent four weeks east of this city investigating the marl 

 region, and collecting its fossils. This region is mostly Miocene, 

 and the formation is more largely developed here than in any part 

 of the United States, excepting perhaps Nebraska." 



Adding also: 



"I had pretty good success in my fossil collecting, and with 

 more knowledge of the country could have done much better. I 

 will however be able to make some valuable additions to paleon- 

 tology, and will have all the vertebrate fossils obtained by the 

 state survey, to determine. The majority of mammalia are ce- 

 taceans, I have at least 15 species of these." 



Between the years 1868 and 1870, the plesiosaurs of the Creta- 

 ceous of Kansas began to occupy his attention, and in 1871 he 

 visited these chalk beds and began his own explorations there. 

 His work soon extended further westward. In 1872 for a time he 

 was in Wyoming, and in 1873 he was in Colorado. 



From Fort Bridger, Wyoming, under date of October 12, 1872, 

 he writes: 



" I found in my sixty-five days' exploration the remains of species 

 of animals according to the following figures: species, quadru- 

 peds, 32; birds, 2; crocodiles, 6; lizards, 4; snakes, i; turtles, 17; 

 total 62; and 13-14 kinds of fishes." 



From the foregoing quotations some idea of his great activity 

 may be had and yet it by no manner of means represents all, for 

 his nights were spent in preparing papers describing new species, 

 many of which were illustrated by drawings from his own pen, 

 which were promptly sent to Philadelphia for publication. 



While not neglecting other interests, for a time, at least, his 

 work in paleontology continued to be paramount, and led in 1872 

 to his appointment as vertebrate paleontologist to the United 

 States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories 

 under Dr. F. V. Hayden, and during his connection with this 

 survey he explored and collected in every state and territory west 

 of the Missouri. 



