Othniel Charles Marsh. 413 



1. The Collection of Vertebrate Fossils. This is the most 

 important and valuable of all. It is very extensive and contains 

 a large number of type specimens, many of them unique, 

 and is widely known from the descriptions already published. 

 In extinct Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles, of North America, 

 this series stands preeminent. The collection was pronounced 

 by Huxley, who examined it with care in 1876, to be surpassed 

 by no other in the world ; and Darwin, in 1878, expressed a 

 strong desire to visit America for the sole purpose of seeing 

 it. Since then it has been more than doubled in size and 

 value, and still holds first rank. The bulk of this collection 

 was secured in western explorations, which were extended over 

 a period of nearly thirty years. 



2. The Collection of Fossil Footprints. These specimens 

 are mainly from the Connecticut Valley, and thus have a 

 special local interest. 



3. The Collection of Invertebrate Fossils. This includes a 

 large amount of interesting material from many formations 

 and localities, both in this country and in Europe. Among the 

 series of specimens especially valuable may be mentioned 

 several thousand from the famous Mazon Creek locality in Illi- 

 nois ; a very extensive collection of Crinoids from Crawford s- 

 ville, in Indiana ; the largest collection of nearly entire Trilo- 

 bites yet discovered ; and one of the rarest series of Silurian 

 Sponges known, including important type specimens. 



4. The Collection of Recent Osteology. This is believed to 

 be one of the most complete collections in this country for pur- 

 poses of study. Special efforts have been made for many years 

 to secure the skeletons of rare existing vertebrates from every 

 part of the world, particularly of Mammals, Birds, and Rep- 

 tiles. The collection is especially rich in Anthropoid Apes. 



5. The Collection of American Archeology and Ethnology. 

 This collection is replete in Central American antiquities, com- 

 prising several thousand, many of them unique. Among others 

 is the famous deZeltner collection from the same region, con- 

 taining a number of gold ornaments. The specimens from 

 Mexico are also of great interest, and the series is a repre- 

 sentative one. It includes the well-known Skilton collection. 



6. The Collection of Minerals. This is a limited collection, 

 but contains many valuable specimens, among them probably 



