Lismas Montana

July 24 1909

Dear Professor Osborn:

I wrote to Dr. Matthew of the Ohio and Indian fossils last month and have now acquired enough results to warrant another letter. We have never experienced so many rains before in Montana. When I came out it was just one week to a day before I could cross the Big Dry to camp from Willis's ranch. The Dry was as wide as the Missouri. I spent the time in locating the Gruell specimen on Flat Creek which proved to be Triceratops but two badly weathered to take. Pete had taken up the Triceratops skull that I found at the end of the season last year which is badly dislocated and lacks the front horn and part of the maxilla both lower jaws are present and it will I think make a fairly presentable specimen.

While out the first day after I come to camp we found another specimen of the small Predentate Dinosaur as yet undescribed, which supplements the 1906 specimen and leaves only the skull unknown. This specimen gives us about thirty vertebrae, many ribs femora, tibiae fibulae, scapula coracoid humerus ulna radius and some phalanges all in good condition.

Sunday we moved camp to the head of Bear Creek about five miles west of where you saw the Triceratops skull on Sand Arroyo and had hunted only half a day finding a Trachodon skeleton some parts of which I shall take and Pete located a Triceratops or allied genus. This is a fine specimen consisting of pelvis complete right hind leg complete with all phlalanges, left femur and I think all the dorsal vertebrae and ribs.

Of course I am still in hopes of a complete skeleton but this with our other material will enable us to mount a skeleton.

The pelvis of this specimen is much wider than any with which I am familiar with ilium very broad in front but the limbs are typically Ceratopsian.

We will have a very successful season again this year.

I am not riding my broncho this year but purchased a staid old buckskin which works well.

Ladownet cooks for us again Pete could not find anyone else when he left Isladgow and as he does not talk as much this year I have kept him.

The Willis family are in good health and kind as ever sending their regards. Hoping you had a pleasant trip abroad and with regards to all in the department.

Sincerely yours

Barnum Brown