1908
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Purchases from Charles H. Sternberg: Mummified skeleton of Trachodon from Wyoming, skull and
horns of Bison latifrons and jaws of Elephas imperator from the Pleistocene of Kansas, also a large turtle
from the Miocene of Kansas and a skeleton of Toxochelys and a disarticulated skull of Clidastes from the
Cretaceous of Kansas. Purchased from T. F. Olcott, a collection of Lower Miocene Mammalia from the
western border of Nebraska, including a fine Parahippus . The museum also purchased a collection
from the Pleistocene phosphate beds of South Carolina, including a fine series of teeth of a gigantic
extinct shark. Report on the 2nd Expedition to Alaska in search of Pleistocene Fossils, 1908, expedition
conducted by L. S. Quackenbush, reported by Walter Granger. One result of the exploration carried
out by Mr. Quackenbush in 1907was the discovery in the Eschschholtz Bay region of a portion of a
mammoth carcass imbedded in the frozen silts of Elephant Point. Owing to time little was excavated.
The primary object of the 2nd expedition was to secure this specimen. Mr. Quackenbush reached
Nome June 21st, thence overland by train and wagon to dancle. Here Mr. James Hoffman with his fishing
boat was hired, and the party went down river to Keewalik. Elephant Point was reached on July 3rd and the
excavation of the mammoth commenced. Finishing this in a couple of days, the party looked over the
bluffs near Choris Peninsula and then returned to Keewalik. A light canoe was found and on July 20th the
party left Keewalik and returned to the mouth of the Buckland River beginning the ascent of that stream
on the 22nd. They traveled 85 miles up the river and were then forced to turn back on account of low
water, due to the exceptional drought. Returning to Eschscholtz Bay they examined the bluffs along
the south side and then crossed to the N shore opposite Elephant Point. Here the boats were left and the
party walked across the narrow peninsula and spent several days along the southern shore of Selawik
Lake and the southern and western shores of Hotham Inlet. They returned to Keewalik on Aug. 20th. Mr.
Quackenbush reached New York on Sept. 23rd. Expedition for Dinosaurs in Central Montana, 1908,
by Barnum Brown. The expedition outfitted at Miles City. The party consisted of Barnum Brown, Peter
Kaisen, chief assistant, and C. H. Lambert, cook and teamster. They left Miles City June 8th, traveled
northward on the Jordan stage road as far as Roberts ranch, then down the You All Creek to Little Dry
and down this stream to the Big Dry. They located the first camp on the old Gruell place. Many
fragments were found, but nothing worth collecting. An extensive pocket of fossils was found on the W
side of the Big Dry above the mouth of Lone Tree Creek, and a camp was established at Mr. Twitchel's
ranch on June 16th. In his pasture a well preserved Trachodon was found embedded in a sandstone
concretion. It was worked on for nearly a week, no skull was found, so it was left after covering it in
case it might be wanted in the future. On July 1st Brown relocated a specimen found and left in 1906. 8
miles below camp. This proved to be a mixed quarry, containing bones of several individuals. There
were 3 Trachodon femora of different sizes and an Ornithomimus femur and other bone fragments. On the
way back to camp found 4 weathered out caudal vertebrae in position, running into the side of a
sandstone hill. Near the top of the basal sandstone division. This specimen was found on a short
tributary 1 mile E of the Big Dry, about 30 miles S. of the Missouri River. Preliminary work soon
showed 15 vertebrae in place, with more showing in the bank, increasing in size. Camp was moved to
this specimen and they began to work with plow, scraper and dynamite on July 6th. Most of the dirt covering
the specimen was removed within a week. They were able to outline the complete vertebral column
with pelvis, connected and lying on its right side. The ribs of the right side were in position, while those
on the upper, left side were scattered, but all were recovered. The skull and jaws had drifted and lay
embedded in a concretion near the pelvis. No limbs were found. As soon as the bulk of the dirt was
removed, Kaisen worked in the quarry continuously, aided by the cook, Gus Johnson, who was
followed by Charles Mason and Al Laddonett. The bones and work on the Tyrannosaurus was completed
Sept. 11th when camp was moved to the Willis ranch. A partial skeleton of a small dinosaur was found
on July 18th, about a quarter of a mile from the T rex quarry. Associated with this specimen was an
important bed of leaves. The horizon is between the middle layer and the basal sandstone, and its lowest
position that well preserved leaves have been found in the Hell Creek beds. On Aug19th a well
preserved skull and jaws of Triceratops was found near the head of Rock Creek and Sand Arroyo. At the
camp at Willis Ranch the bad lands on San Arroyo were partly explored for another season's work.
During the later part of September and early October it rained and snowed, so that work was suspended.
The boxed fossils filled half a box car and was shipped Oct. 12th. At Havre, MT a very promising bad
lands of the Judith River formation were seen along the Milk River and men there told Brown of bones
located in the bluffs. Near the Crow Agency about 20 miles N of the Custer battlefield, dinosaur
fragments were found in considerable number, although exposures are not as promising as those in
the Hell Creek. Expedition to Miocene beds in Nebraska, by Albert Thomson. When Thomson
reached Agate he was joined by William Stein. The first week in June Dr. W. D. Matthew joined the
party and later were joined by Mr. Roy L. Moodie of the Univ. Kansas. Mr. Harold J. Cook joined the
party from time to time. In the latter part of June Dr. Matthew and Mr. Harold Cook went on a short
prospecting trip about 23 miles S. of Agate, where they discovered Middle Miocene (Sheep Creek
beds) and Lower Pliocene (Snake Creek beds) rich in fossils. They immediately moved to the new area
and remained for 3 weeks. About 23rd of July Dr. Matthew returned to New York. The first week of
August they moved camp to 8 miles NE of Agate and continued their work in the Upper and Lower Harrison
beds. Later Dr. F. B. Loomis of Amherst College gave them permission to work in a portion of his
famous Stenomylus quarry, where they succeeded in getting several complete skeletons of
Stenomylus. The first 2 weeks in August Mr. Harold Cook and Thomson made a trip to the southern part
of Sioux Co. and along the Platte River in search for a new field for the coming season. However, the
weather was unfavorable and they did not get far.
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