Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-03
FOUND MISSING LINK
IN AMERICAN HORSE
Five Specimens of the Three Toed
Steed Discovered in
Colorado.
New York Press.


Scientific circles are deeply interested IN
the announcement of Professor Osborn, or
the Museum of Natural History, that i'm
portant discoveries had been made in the
west tracing the origin and dlHeren'
stages of development Of the horse on TINS
continent. The discoveries were MADE by
the expedition which started for COLORADO
more than three months ago under the
command of ]. w. Gidley, Princeton
graduate and one Of the Natural Museum
workers Many bones and parts OF seve-
PAL skeletons of three-toed horses were
found, and it is thought the collection VIII
be completed as the result OF plans Tor
further search. The fossil remains are
supposed to be about 100000 years old, ana
may form a link connecting the knowledge
of the immediate ancestry of the modern
horse with the accepted theories OF the
horses living 1000 600 or 100000 years ago.
Professor Osborne believes the fossil
bones of a herd of five small horses Also
were found, and he expects that when
Mr.. Gidley returns he will make known
more important finds.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DISCOVERIES.
''The discoveries are very important"
said Professor Osborn yesterday, ana
will attract the attention Of the entire
scientific world. They will give added
prestige to our Museum of Natural Histo-
ry. 1 believe that five complete skeletons
were found, in addition to Eve forelegs'
ten hindlogs, in perfect state of preser-
walton; several skulls, and one other sKel-
eton, almost complete. The FOSSILS are
now on the way to the museum.
Eventually we hope to possess the
most complete collection of early horses
i'm the world. Special explorations for fos-
s.. remains of horses began last year.
Two complete stages were found. They
were earlier than those just discovered
l oil Flnn
that the present expedition has been such
a success.
How old are the remains? Well, that
IS n hard question 10 answer, and should
not like to consider ii until have exam
ined the fossils. However, you will md on
exhibition in the museum bones supposed
to be 100000 years old. There are many
marked stages of development in the
horse, and it is peculiar that one of the
greatest differences between horses of to-
day and horses of past ages is the teeth.
Long ago-by long 1 mean a few hundred
thousand years-the horses teeth were
short and did not go far up into the jaw
bone. The teeth of the modern horse are
long and Embedded two to three inches IN
the jawbone."
WHITNEY FUND RESPONSIBLE.
The bones found belong to an animal
about the size Of a Shetland pony, only
lighter in build and smaller in size or
head The find is the direct result OF the
William c. Whitney fund, and, it is be-
licVed, presages further light not only on
the horses of past eras, but also on other
kinds of large animals which lived on this
continent AS investigation progresses IL
is being proved that almost all the larger
known animals roved the forests and pra1-
ries of this country before the advent OF
man. Fossils of camels with the necks
like CRATES, are on exhibition in the Nat
ural Museum, and complete skeletons or
the rhinoceras have been found in Kansas.
A worker in museum in explaining the
present discovery said:
although no definite news has been re-
ceived 1t is thought the remains are those
Of horses in the period before man. If so,
they form the most important addition
that could be made to the museum coll
lection The lower eocene horse is the
earliest known stage Of its development.
In it the forefoot had four well developed
toes and vestiges of another. The hind
foot had three toes and evidences OF the
fourth At the beginning of the Age OF
Mammals, about 100000 years ago, the
great plains of western America had only
recently risen above ocean level; the eli
mate was moist and tropical and the
country probably swampy and covered
with forests. Bones of a horse OF that
period have been found which would make
the animal about the size Of the fox.
CONNECTING. LINK FOUND.
'In 1899 Mr.. Gidley found a skeleton OF
an extinct species of the one-toed horse
in Texas. 1t belonged to the Ice Age, and
had larger jaws, smaller brain, shorter
neck and smaller feet than the modern
horse A four-toed horse was found by
Dr. ]. L. Workman in the Wind River
beds, Wyoming.
THE new Gidley find. it appears, be-
| longs to the Hipparion species. This
would give the fossils an age of about
| 500, OO0 years. The structure of the horses
changed with the climatic changes. At
the end of the Age of Mammals the wes-
| tern parts OF the continent had become
high plateau, forests had disappeared, and
| horses had feet approaching that OF the
| domestic animal and adapted for swift
running. Most Of the finds have been
made in Texas, and it is likely the most
important discoveries will be made there
| in the future"
No word had been received from Mr..
| Gidley from the time he left New York
| for the west until he sent a message OF
his discoveries. He is in Colorado, and it
| is expected he will start soon for this
0fT