A. Smith Woodward — Visit to American Museums. 393 



is also exhibited ; and the collection of typical European fossils 

 (chiefly due to Prof. Henry A. Ward, of Rochester) is especially 

 complete, affording valuable material for comparison. The Professors 

 at the present time are extending their researches to the fossil 

 Mammalian collection of the Agassiz Museum, Cambridge, placed 

 at their disposal by Prof. Alexander Agassiz ; and portions of the 

 results of their researches have already appeared in the Cambridge 

 Bulletins. 



Philadelphia. 



Two centres of attraction to the Vertebrate Palaeontologist exist 

 in Philadelphia — the Museum of the Academy of Sciences, and the 

 private collection of Prof. E. D. Cope. Neither of these collections 

 is at present displayed to good advantage, but there is a prospect 

 shortly of both being accommodated with convenient rooms and cases. 

 The foundations of the new Museum at the Academy are already 

 laid ; and the Pennsylvanian University is preparing adequate 

 accommodation for the collection of Prof. Cope, who has lately been 

 appointed to its Chair of Geology. 



The gem of the Academy Collection is the original specimen of 

 Dromatherium sylvestre — a mandibular ramus in black coaly matrix 

 from the Trias of Chatham Co., N.C. Its parts are as distinctly 

 shown as in any of the Mesozoic mammalian jaws from England. 

 Another unique specimen is the head of the Cretaceous Crocodile of 

 New Jersey, Thoracosaurus neoccssariensis. This is also well pre- 

 served and shows most distinctly the true antorbital vacuities 

 (described by Prof. Leidy), which some would erroneously explain 

 as mere fractures. The Cretaceous Dinosaur, Hadrosaurus, is repre- 

 sented by the fine series of bones upon which Prof. Leidy originally 

 founded the genus ; but these are not shown to advantage in 

 Waterhouse Hawkins' plaster restoration, which still survives, with 

 the exception of the pelvis. The earliest series of fish-remains from 

 the American Devonian and Carboniferous, described by Prof. Leidy, 

 occupies part of one of the wall-cases, and comprises many in- 

 teresting fragments ; while most of the teeth and scales from the 

 Cretaceous of New Jersey and the Phosphate Beds of South Carolina, 

 made known in the same Professor's well-known memoirs, are 

 arranged on adjoining shelves. A very large number of Tertiary 

 Mammalian remains, including, among others, the type-specimens 

 of Meijalonyx, are placed in other cases ; and Prof. Leidy is at 

 present resuming the early researches to which these specimens 

 bear witness, by investigating a large collection of Mammalian 

 bones lately brought by Mr. Joseph Willcox from Florida. The 

 collection of British Fossils is extensive and affords useful material 

 for comparison, having been acquired by the Academy from Dr. T. B. 

 Wilson. There are many interesting Old Red Sandstone fishes from 

 Cromarty bearing Hugh Miller's autograph labels; several Wealden 

 bones labelled by Dr. Mantell ; a good representation of the English 

 Lias ; and a few examples of the Bristol Dolomitic Conglomerate 

 with the remarkable Triassic reptilian bones. 



The greater portion of Prof. Cope's collection at present occupies 



