Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-22
side of the cliff and dug out the remaining

side Of the cliff and dug out the remaining
bones"
The professor arose and walked rapidly
back and forth in his room at the hotel, as
he recalled the exciting experience. He said
he did not attempt 10 take complete measure
ments, but he estimated the skeleton to be
two and a half feet long, forming an animal
about the size and with the general makeup
of a species of monkey known in common
parlance as the white faced capuchin. The
professor says some of the bones are missing,
but the skull Is complete and it would be a
simple thing for any paleontologist to draw
a complete picture of the representative of
the human race as he appeared long cons ago.
NATIVE OF NORTH AMERICA.
Scientists have intimated that the monkey
was originally an inhabitant OF America, but
the proof Is now forthcoming, and in the
opinion Of Prof. Workman the chain leading
from the mollusk to man is no longer miss
ing. The Wyoming monkey will be the gem
of the collection in the Central park museum.
"Our object in coming to the west last
summer" said he, was to look for fossils
which were deposited at the close of the
cretaceous epoch-a period when the sea re-
coded, the Rocky mountain plateau arose and
the fresh water lakes of the mountain region
came gradually into existence. 1t was one OF
the greatest changes known in the geological
history Of the American continent.
CONTINENT DIVIDED.
"There was a time" continued the pro-
fessor, as he advanced in his theme, when
the American continent was divided into two
halves and a great ocean OF salt water &C.
cupied the area between the higher peaks of
the Rocky mountains and the Appalachian
chain. In the mighty elevation which took
place, the Uinta mountain range, which
forms the southern boundary of the Green
river fresh water basin, was raised, accord
ing to the experts of the geological survey, to
- l-s-lt - On mn -. on nnA 81
level. The lack OF elevation at present is due
to erosion or the wearing away of the noun.
tains. The Rocky mountain system is be-
lieved by biologists to be at present under.
going an elevation slightly in advance OF
the process of erosion. All other mountain
systems of the United States are being de
graded.
Our study during the summer was to ex
anime into the changes that have occurre,
from time to time of the recession Of Thu
sea to the formation of the great fresh waite
basins which supervened. The relation of tn,
fresh water basins to one another, and more
particularly the form OF life that inhabited
the shores of the lakes centuries ago, wer,
subjects in which we were particularly in
terested. The largest animal OF those timei
is known to science as the unitather.um. 9Th,
college already has parts Of the skeleton. sucl
as skulls, feet and limb bones. The expedi
tion was fortunate enough TO secure an entirt
| c NNAhAAihi eS u9 hAN ~ oii " lE
missing parts, so that 1t Is now possible Il
mount the skeleton OF the animal as he ap
peared In nature.
WORE SIX HORNS.
"Thls unltatherium was the last Of a groul
or series of animals now extinct. He re
sembled the elephant In size and had 81.
horns upon his skull. The longest horn wa.
at least twenty or thirty inches in length
One pair OF horns projected from the nose
one pair from over his eyes, and another 4
believed to have taken root In the back o
his skull. He had five toes on each foot, and
while forming an independent group Of hoofe.
quadrupeds, was very distinct from any nov
In existence. This animal marked the declin,
as we'll as the extinction OF the order to whicl
he belonged"
Proceeding, the professor tod OF an ancien
, pig, whose bones were found by the party
The pig is known to science as the palace
syops. The party was fortunate In securing
an almost complete skeleton OF this species
Some Of the pig species. according to tn
professor, attained almost the size of tn
elephant. The most marked p~ecu'iari y Of III
species was the possession OF a single pal
OF horns IN the vicinity Of the nose. Tn
horns grew to be thirty or forty inches I
length. The Central park museum has a CON