OSTEOLOGY OF CARNIVOROUS DINOSAURS. 



143 



metatarsal bones, and these show the same features exhibited in the type species of the genus 0. velox. 

 They are, however, so much smaller as to suggest that they may pertain to a bird. Various portions of 

 the second, third, and fourth metatarsals are known, and the distinctive feature is seen in the third 

 which has the upper part of the shaft so attenuated that it may not reach to the tarsus. The second and 

 fourth metatarsals are very long and slender. This unique animal was about the size of the common 

 fowl. The species has been called Ornithomimus minutus. 



The type of this species appears now to be lost. In reply to my inquiry if 

 the type specimen was not in the Yale University Museum, Dr. R. S. Lull, under 

 date of February 7, 1908, wrote me as follows. 



The type of Ornithomimus minutus is apparently in Washington. It evidently belonged to a lot 



1871 /> received at this museum in 1887. ' Other than that 



Fig. 79.— Left metatarsal ii? 

 of Ornithomimus minutus 

 Marsh. No. 2909, TJ.S.N.M. 

 Natural size. 



of material bearing the diamond number 

 we have no record of it whatever. 



In my search of the paleontological collections of the United States National 

 Museum for the missing type I found a small box, containing a glass vial in which 

 were portions of three small foot bones. On the top of the box was the following 

 information, apparently in Marsh's handwriting: "Ornithomi- 

 mus minutus Metatarsal (new) (Bird or Ornithomimus), P. 

 Qu. August 1-16, 1889-D. 2050." In all of the collection 

 these were the only specimens found which could possibly 

 represent the species Ornithomimus minutus. These bones, 

 however, do not agree with the brief description given of the 

 type by Marsh. He mentions having parts of metatarsals II, 

 III, and IV, whereas there was only a considerable portion 

 of one of the lateral metatarsals (fig. 79), and the distal 

 portions of two phalangials found in this lot. There are a 

 number of significant things in this connection, however; 

 the word ("new") and above it printed on the box with a 

 pen and probably at another time, the name "Ornithomimus 

 minutus" indicating that the bones were once recognized as representing a new 

 form, and that later it was referred to by name. "P. Qu." was Marsh's abbre- 

 viation for Peterson's Quarry, and from the records we know that it was one of 

 the places where Cretaceous mammal teeth were found in the Lance formation, 

 in Niobrara County, Wyoming. The very fact that drawings were made of these 

 bones would indicate that Marsh regarded them of considerable importance. 



While it does not appear possible that these specimens represent the type of 

 the species, I have gone into this matter in considerable detail, in order to place 

 on record all of the information and its possibilities. 



For the present this species must rest on the brief description cited above, 

 and specimen No. 2909, U.S.N.M., here figured and which was identified by Pro- 

 fessor Marsh as pertaining to this species. 



The metatarsal of 2909, U.S.N.M., lacks the proximal end, but otherwise it is 

 perfectly preserved, as shown in figure 79. It appears to represent the second 

 metatarsal of the left pes, though of this I can not be absolutely certain. That it 

 is one of the lateral elements of the foot is clearly indicated by the decided defl.ec- 



1 Records in the United States National Museum show that fossil specimens bearing the accession number ■^T&70>- were 

 r;c:ived at the Yale Museum during February, March, and April of the year 1887, all from the Cretaceous of Colorado. 



