The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09

collector of rare orchids, as a cham
premely, as story teller and writer of
many scientific works.
More than that. ne was able to read and
speak many languages, among them the
curious jargons Of the Western Indians.
and he had made a unique reputation as
an unrelentng foe of scientific fallacies
and fakes" He spent a long life and
a considerable fortune in building up a
great public museum at Yale College. He
never drew penny of salary for his serv-
ices as a professor, and about a year ago,
when his health began to fail, he made
over all his vast and priceless collections
TO the university and died comparatively
poor man.
Two Small Bones His Foundation for
Fame.
Fame and science are supposed TO come
with gray hairs Prof. Marsh was known
everywhere in the scientific world
at the age Of 81. This sudden rise to fame
was the result of a discovery which he
made while he was vet a student at Phil
lips Academy Andover. During one of
his summer vacations he was trampins
picked up by accident two odd bits of fos-
si bone He found them lying close to-
eether, like two checkers, one partially
overlapping the other. They were cylin-
drical in form, with saucer-like hollows at
each end, and so insignificanty small that
q man might close his hand around them.
Young Marsh, already deeply interested
in geology and mineraaogy, dropped the
bones into the pocket of his shooting Jacket
and carried them with him. He passed
from Andover TO Yale, where ne was grad
uated with honors In 1860, and then he en-
tered the Sheffield Scientific SCHOOL, All
this time he treasured the two fossil bones
and their significance as a geological dis
coyery became palmer TO him with every
added year of study. From the shape, size
and relative position in which they were
discovered. he knew them to be the verte-
brae OF some enormous animal of prehis-
torIe origin; but he had found them in a
coal formation, and the authorities gave
no hint of creatures so highly developed in
a geological age so remote. He believed
that the two vertebrate indicated a hither-
10 unknown link between the fishes and
the reptiles. He showed the bones 60 the
famous geologist. Dana, and 10 Prof jeff
ries Wyman of Harvard They told him to
see Agasslz who knew more about fishes
living and extinct than any other man.
Agassiz examined the bones with Keen IN
terest. and inquired where they were found.
When young Marsh told him the story
of their discovery and ventured TO outline
his theories, the great scientist shook his
head emphatcally
Impossible" he said.
Studied Two Bones for Six Months
But young Marsh was certain that he
had made an important discovery. At the
suggestion of Prof Wyman he devoted six
months to the study OF Vie two little bones
and their relationship to the remains OF
other extinct monsters; then he described
them accurately in a published account
naming the animal from which they came
the Eosaurus, the dawn of lizards" the
first reptilian remains TO be found IN the
coal measures Of America. The discovery
OF the Eosaurus came as strong afiirma.
tive evidence, showing conclusively the
relationship between two widely different
classes Of animal life. Al the instance OF
Sir Charles Lyell. the eminent English
geologlst young Marsh's paper was read
before the august Geological Society OF
London, and It's author was voted a fel.
low. IL was translated into German and
The young scientists was asked TO accent
the honor o. membership In the Geofoe.
ieal Society OF Berlin. Ia America, Yal,
college was prompt with It's appreciation
OF me value Of the discovery. and although
young Marsh was then just graduated