Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-06-16

Inc Oh0 :" New wOR10.s
Prof. o. G. Marsh IL now about to start with
another scientific expedition to the Rocky
mountains, and New Haven correspondent of
the New York Tribune takes the occasion to set
forth the importance OF the discoveries made
by Prof. NJ. in his late expeditions to the same
region. These researches have brought to light
the fossil remains Of more than two hundred
extinct vertebrate animals previously unknown,
and has demonstrated that what is called =" the
New World" is vastly richer i'm these remaIrs
of early animal life than the cod World"
Our wild Western country, 50 long re Jarded az
a desert devoid OF human interest, IL now made
"A historic ground once peopled with the most
grotesque and diverse forms of animal life;
Wonderland of dragons and monsters. To Pro-
fessOT Marsh, who - n rrm believer in
the development hypothesis, every newly
found fossil Is another link in the long
chain leading from the lowest to the
highest representatives of animal life.
These Western discoveries have largely con
sisted Of those intermediate forms which were
most needed TO nil gaps in the series, a MI hence
are OF the highest value in the science of COM
Parative anatomy. In the number aud variety
of these extinct animals we have material far
more important than anything Europe has to
offer FOR the ISOLATION OF the questions that per-
tain to the origin OF existence. Among the
fOssils OF this region are the mosauroid reptiles,
the sea-serpents of early times. Some OF these
were of gigantic size, not less than IS feet in
length; the smallest were not more than ten
feet long. The head was wonderfully like that
of a serpent; the body, and especially the tail,
very long and slender. They were provided
with paddles not unlike those of the whale
Among the other important discoveries by
Prof. Marsh in this formation were the first
Pterodactyls found in this country. These were
yeritable fiying dragons, some OF them having
spread of wings OF t~enty-i i've feet-creatures
that may easily la We been able to pick up ami
fly away with as heavy animal as a sheep.
Three species OF ttz--e were discovered the
smallest having a spread OF about twelve feet.
Fine specimens of those monsters of geological
antiquity, the genus Dinoeeros, nearly equal
ling the elephant i'm size, were found in the
Rocky mountain basins.
One OF the most interesting of the small quad
ruPeds was species of OroHiPPus, a diminutive
member of the horse family. The animal was
scarcely larger than fox, and We: resembIed
the modern horse in many parts of its skeleton,
the most marked difference being that, in
place OF the single hOof of the modern horse,
II had four well-develOped toes in front,
This discovery was especially interesting, as IL
added new link in the genealogy of the horse
The Antelope Station on the Pacific Railroad,
In southwestern Nebraska, furnished an i'm
mense supply of valuable fossils. While en-
gagged in sinking a well at that place in June.
1855, layer OF bones was found by the work.
men, at depth of % feet below the surface.
which were at first pronounced to be human;
but during trip to the Rocky Mountains
Prof. Marsh examined the locality and bones,
and found that the latter were remains Of
tertiary animals, some OF which were OF great
- well .ukaa
about 10 feet deeper, and the bones obtained
were secured by the Professor. An examina-
ton proved that there were four kinds of fossil
horses, one Of which he described as Equus
PGrrviss. Although il was a full grown animal,
II was not more than two and one-half feet
high. Ii was then by tar the smallest horse
ever discovered. vi the other kinds of fossil
horses, one was . three-toed horse OF the
Hipparion type. Including the above, the num-
Der Of species OF fossil horses discovered in this
country Was Ia.
Ii used to be stated In old fashioned books of
natural history that "the horse was the gift of
the old world to the new" But whole races of
horses lived and persisted ia America ages
before men went down into the sea in ships.
There are now in Yale Museum the fossil re-
mains Of q different species Belonging to the
horse family. These animals varied from sizes
that are larger than any now existing, down to
delicate creatures not bigger than q fox.
A discreet old washingtoniAb undertaking
once to tell in concise and delicate terms the
story OF the Key-Sickles scandal. said that it
just amounted to this: that Key was chased
and Mrs. Sickles wasn't. According to the
version presented by the Hon. Mitchell Nipple
tthe Senator elect from oregon) Of the reasons
that caused him TO abandon his Pennnsylvania
home and seek the Pacific shore hS was chased
good deal by Mrs. Nipple who wasn't. She
not only wasn't, but she cds so much Of a tartar
that Life under her prosecutions became a
burden; hence his flight For the same reasons,
IL would seem, he changed his name to escape
conjugal pursuit; and from thenceforth took no
Nipple in his tpple. The question now is if the
United States Senate will take sum cient stock
in Mr.. MitchelEHippIe explanation to con-
slider him legally elected Senator under his
assumed name, and Mt person to occupy a chair
IN their chamber. Probably they went.
II viii he matter Of satisfaction, got only to
our citizens, but also to all interested in art
matters throughout the country, to know that
steps are being taken to open the Coreoran art
gallery at an early day. This is the earnest