13 
A NEW SPECIES OF HADROSAURIAN DINOSAUR FROM THE 
EDMONTON FORMATION ( CRETACEOUS ) OF ALBERTA 
A well-preserved skeleton of a large, non-crested hadrosaurian dinosaur 
in the vertebrate palaeontological collection of the Geological Survey, 
Canada, is not only of great scientific interest, but noteworthy as being 
the first dinosaurian specimen to be mounted for exhibition in a Canadian 
museum. This specimen was discovered in the summer of 1912, by the 
Geological Survey party under Charles H. Sternberg, and was prepared 
and mounted the following winter by him and his son, Charles M., under 
the direction of L. M. Lambe. 
In 1913, while this specimen was undergoing preparation for mounting, 
Mr. Lambe published 1 a brief account of the skeleton as a whole, but more 
especially dwelt on the structure of the fore feet and arrangement of the 
ossified tendons. At that time it was identified by him as pertaining to 
Trachodon marginatus Lambe because of certain resemblances found in the 
teeth. In a later communication 2 , however, in which the character of the 
skin impressions was described, the conclusion was reached that it was 
not referable to the above-mentioned species, but no further attempt was 
made to determine its affinities, and up to the present the specimen has 
remained without designation. 
The object of the present paper is to determine the relationships of 
this splendid specimen, and to give a more extended account of the skeletal 
anatomy, so that the information furnished by it will be available to future 
students of the Hadrosauridse. Unfortunately, at this time the family 
HadrosauridsB is in a somewhat chaotic state and sadly in need of revision. 
Many of the earlier described genera and species were founded on frag- 
mentary specimens, and several, if not many of these, will probably have 
to be abandoned as indeterminate. Doubtless some of the later described 
species will prove to be synonyms, but these questions can be determined 
only by a careful comparison of the type materials and that is beyond 
the scope of the present paper. 
Identification of the specimen under consideration is rendered still more 
difficult by the fact that it has no outstanding peculiarities of structure, 
such as distinguish many of the more recently described members of this 
family. In general form and structure of both skull and body it closely 
approaches Thespesius* * annectem (Marsh) from the Lance formation of 
Wyoming, with which it agrees in most of its more detailed skeletal features. 
1 Ottawa Naturalist, vol. 27, 1913, pp. 21-25, Pis. II, III. 
* Ottawa Naturalist, vol. 27, 1914, p. 135, PI. 17. 
5 In using the generic name Thespesius of Leidy (1856) , I am fully aware of the inadequate nature 
of the type material on which that genua was founded, but as a temporary expedient while awaiting 
a revision of the family Hadrosauridse, it appears to be a far more logical term to apply to the Lance 
species than Buch makeshift appellations as Trachodon ( Claosaurus ) or Claosaurus ( Trachodon ), 
which have come into vogue during the past few years. No one questions the fact of Thespesius 
being the first and only generic name ever established on specimens from the Lance formation 
( See appended chronological list, page 26), whereas Trachodon, founded on equally indeterminate 
materials, is from the much earlier Judith River formation, with every probability that this 
dinosaurian genus did not pass through from one formation to the other. Claosaurus, founded on 
an adequate specimen from the still earlier Niobrara formation of Kansas, is for the same reason 
unavailable. 
The status of these names and of other members of the Hadrosauridse have been fully discussed 
(Hatcher, J. B., Annals Carnegie Museum, vol. I, 1902, pp. 377-386; Gilmore, C. W., Science, vol. 
41, 1910, p. 658; Lambe, L. M. t Ottawa Naturalist, Feb., 1918, pp. 135-139) and it seems unneces- 
sary to enter further into the matter at this time. 
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