294 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. Vlll., No. 191 



now possess the only skull of a carnivore of the 

 American eocene. 



This work on the south slope of the Uintah 

 Mountains was only preparatory to the main aim 

 of the expedition, — the exploration of the little- 

 known White River country. The passage of the 

 Uintahs was quite difficult, for the climbing is 

 very steep and the road very poor. The road 

 bears off to the eastward, and crosses the range 

 at an elevation of over ten thousand feet. The 

 scenery was very wild and grand, and. the air 

 delightful. The nights were always very cold, 

 and on the night of July 25 there was a severe 

 frost. The descent into the Ashley valley on the 

 south slope is very fine, and the views toward 

 Salt Lake City in the west, and the Colorado 

 mountains in the east, superb. The valley of 

 Ashley's Fork, another tributary of Green Eiver, 

 has by wonderful irrigation and gi-eat care become 

 of much agricultural value, and is now support- 

 ing a considerable population, almost entu-ely Mor- 

 mon. From the settlement of Ashley to Ouray, 

 the agency of the Uncompahgre Ute Indians, is a 

 long, hot ride of thu-ty-five miles through a desert 

 country in which some of the canon formations 

 are most curious. 



Ouray agency is on the west bank of the Green 

 River, just above the mouths of White River, 

 flowing in from the east, and Duchesne River, a 

 tributary from the north and west. Green River 

 was crossed here, — a work of great difficulty, 

 because of the swiftness of the current and quick- 

 sand bottom, — and the march continued almost 

 due east, following the north bank of White 

 River. Camp was pitched in a small Cottonwood 

 gi-ove, the only trees for miles and miles, in a 

 bend of the river, and work prosecuted from there. 

 No fossUs were found within two miles of camp, 

 and at the conclusion of the work the ride out 

 was from twelve to fourteen miles. The expedi- 

 tion's work was well organized ; and men detailed 

 to dig out and pack followed the prospectors, who 

 located the fossiliferous strata and particular out- 

 croppings of bone. No bones of any account were 

 fovmd, save in the two white or gray strata, the 

 one lying at the base oi the buttes, and the other 

 some thirty feet above it, with two distinct strata 

 intervening. 



The prospectors soon discovered much of inter- 

 est and value ; and when camp was broken, and 

 the march back begun, some twelve or fourteen 

 hundred pounds of fossils were ready for trans- 

 port. Every thing was packed with greatest care ; 

 cotton, tissue-paper, w^-apping-paper, canvas sacks, 

 aud thin gunny sacks being used for teeth and 

 joints, and all save cotton being used in every 

 instance. 



Of Amynodon, which the expedition desired 

 particularly to get, numerous fragments were ob- 

 tained, enough to make one nearly complete skel- 

 eton and the major part of several others. Tapir- 

 oids were found in great abundance, and it is not 

 improbable that careful study will reveal , some 

 unique specimens among the finds of this expedi- 

 tion. The bones are not all in the best preserva- 

 tion, though some are in a far better state than 

 others found immediately adjoining. The real 

 scientific value of the expedition will only be 

 known when the authorities of the museum make 

 a careful study and description of the bones 

 found. 



The weather on White River was inteusely hot 

 by day, and very hot even at night. Mosquitoes 

 were in abundance ; and the river- water, while 

 not strongly alkali, is warm and insipid. There 

 is absolutely no vegetation save grease-wood aud 

 scanty sage-brush, and no animal life beyond 

 small snakes and lizards and a few rabbits. The 

 snow-topped Uintah range was in full view, and 

 thunder-showers could be seen there daily. But 

 in this White River desert it never rained, and it 

 was asserted that it had not rained there since 

 April, 1885. 



The third week in August the White River 

 count] y was left behind, and the long, slow march 

 over the mountains began. Perhaps the country 

 was left none too soon, for the Indians were very 

 insolent, and, even on crossing the mountains. 

 General Crook was passed going into that country 

 with a detachment of cavalry and infantry to 

 locate a new military post, as a safeguard against 

 Indian treachery and violence. 



The expedition is greatly indebted for its com- 

 fort to the aid rendered in outfitting by the war 

 department and the quartermaster-general of the 

 state of New Jersey, and for courtesies extended 

 by the officers at Fort Bridger and the officials at 

 the Ouray agency. For its scientific success, it is 

 indebted to the untiring energy and ability of its 

 conductor, Mr. Francis Speir, jun., of South 

 Orange, N.J. ' N. M. B. 



THE LONGEVITY OF GREAT MEN. 

 The conclusion that the intellectual giants of the 

 race are favored by an abundance of years on the 

 scene of their heroic activity, and are thus fm-ther 

 differentiated from their more common fellow-men, 

 seems natural, and has been accepted upon evi- 

 dence which, in a less pleasing conclusion, would 

 be considered ridiculously insufficient, and even 

 false. The usual method of attempting to answer 

 the question wdiether great men are longer-lived 

 than others, is to prepare a list of the ages, at 



