1907 A skeleton of Ichthyosaurus with nearly all the body outlines was purchased from Bernhard Hauff of Wurttemberg. Purchased from C. H. Sternberg was a skeleton of Hesperornis nearly complete except it skull and forelimbs; also purchased was a series of teeth of an undescribed peccary from Kansas Miocene. The Expedition to the Fayum, Egypt, by Walter Granger. The expedition was under the leadership of Prof. Henry F. Osborn, with Walter Granger George Olsen as assistants. Mr. Richard Markgraf, an independent collector residing in Cairo was employed for 6 weeks, working separately in his own camp. Mr. Hartley T. Ferrar of the Survey Department field staff accompanied the party to the Fayum and remained for 2 weeks. 20 Fallaheen workmen, under the superintendance of Daoud Mohammed of Helouan, were employed. Shiekh Talba with 5 or 6 fellaheen conducted the camel train. The AMNH party arrived at Alexandria on Jan. 23rd and Cairo was reached the same day. The Survey Department placed its services at the disposal of the party, loaning tents, water tanks, tools, cooking outfits, etc., and arranging for the employment of natives and camels. 12 camels were hired and ordered to proceed to Tamia in the Fayum, the nearest railway point to the fossil fields. Granger and Olsen accompanied Prof. Osborn's personal caravan, leaving Mena House on Jan. 31st, traveling southward through the Pyramid field and entering the Fayum from the Lisht Pyramid on Feb. 3rd. 2 days later, Feb. 5th, the caravan came to the Easterly Bone Pits, north of Birket-el-Qurun where a permanent working camp had been established. The following day work began in one of these pits, termed Quarry A, with 7 native assistants. On the 8th 12 natives arrived from Sakkarah. They had been employed by Mr. Quibell at an excavation. A second quarry, Quarry B was reopened under Mr. Olsen's superintendance. These bone pits were discovered and worked by Mr. Beadnell and later worked by Dr. Andrews (BMNH). Except for short periods these pits were worked continuously by the AMNH party from the time of its arrival until late in April. A small bone pit about 2 miles west of camp, called Quarry C was worked by Mr. Granger and a force of 5 men for several days in the middle of the month, and several other minor pits, scattered over the fossil field, were reopened and worked sufficiently to show that they were exhausted. On Feb. 8th Prof. Osborn with his personal party and Mr. Ferrar departed from the desert, and returned to Cairo, leaving Mr. Granger in charge. Mr. Richard Markgraf, who had prospected in the neighborhood independently, was employed at this time through arrangements of Prof. Osborn. The material already collected was turned over to the AMNH, and he continued to prospect until Mar. 31st, working in his own camp and covering the area from the Easterly Bone Pits to the Alexandria Trail. Early in April with the quarries pretty well worked out most of the Quft men left. The 2 remaining Quft men and the 2 from Tamia, together with Reis Daoud and the cook remained with the outfit until camp was broken late in April. On April 21st camp was moved from the bone pits to Quasr-el-Sagna where a stay of 3 or 4 days was made to prospect the Middle Eocene exposures there. On April 24th Tamia was reached. While in Tamia waiting for a train, a cablegram was received from Prof. Osborn instructing the party to remain in the desert for further work. It was thought best to back to Cairo and get secure tents and hot weather clothing. 6 camels were engaged for the 2nd trip. Daoud and the cook were retained, as well as the 2 men from Tamia, who especially good workmen. The first camp was made at Quasr-el-Sagha. A few days later the party moved just above the temple and the Upper Eocene bench where the eastern extension of the fossiliferous area was examined. Later a camp was made at the old bone pits, and from there the party moved westward to the Alexandria trail, about the western limit of the fossil area. May 23rd after several days in this camp, during which time the Moeriherium quarry was examined, the return eastward was begun, stopping for 5 days at Ferrar Butte. Quasr-el-Sagna was the next stopping place, 1 day. and on May 30th Tamia was reached, Granger and Olsen returned to Cairo on May 30th and the fossils were repacked by Olsen. Although some prospecting was done and a few specimens collected in the Middle Eocene (Qasr-el Sagha) beds, by far the greater part of the time was spent on the Upper Eocene or Fluvio-marine beds, which contained a richer fauna. Bones were found isolated or in "quarries" or "pits" , where thousands of separate elements are sometimes found in small areas, having apparently been brought together by water action. Most of the collection came from such quarries, although in every case the finer skulls were found as isolated specimens, the action that brought the quarry bones together serving to break up the skulls. Only 2 instances of association were observed; a skull with associated jaws, and 3 or 4 small mammal vertebrae lying in a series. The preservation of the bone is poor, which is odd, as the wood found associated is thoroughly silicified. The bones are unusually uncrushed and exposure of the bone to air for several weeks or months tended to harden them. 27 cases containing fossils were shipped from Cairo. 500 field numbers were assigned, of which 25 were reptiles. The Expedition of to the Lower Miocene of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD and the Agate Springs Locality in Sioux County, Nebraska, by Albert Thomson. A. Thomson and Paul Miller arrived at Rapid City, SD on June 9th. They were delayed for a week at the Cheyenne River on account of high water. On June 23rd they reached there destination and made camp on Medicine Creek about 5 miles N of Kyle P.O., SD. Not having much success there, they moved the camp 9 miles southward to American Horse Creek. From this camp they were within easy reach of both Upper and Lower Rosebud beds and met with fairly good success. They then moved eastward to Medicine Root Creek, where the Lower Rosebud beds were well exposed along Medicine Root Creek and No Flesh Creek. From there they moved eastward to Bear-in-the-Lodge Creek in the vicinity of Eagles Nest Butte, but this locality proved to be barren of fossils. Messrs. Gregory and Anderson joined the party on Aug 8th at this site. 4 days later they moved to Agate Springs Quarry, NE, where Prof. Osborn had made arrangements with Mr. James H. Cook from them to work. They arrived Aug. 21st. Mr. Cook escorted them to the quarry and gave permission to open a quarry on the opposite side of the hill from the Carnegie quarries. Next season they hope to do some extensive excavations.

1906

1908