The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-04-27
MUSEUMS RARELY DECEIVED
Imitation Fossils Are Quickly De.
tected by Experts If the In
situations.

SlLuClOubs
According to DR.. w. D. Matthew, as
sistanr Curator of the American Mu-
scum Of Natural History, there is little
forgery of fossils and such things. For
one reason the prices paid for articles
IN this city are not high enough to
tempt forgers or even to repay the
work necessary to produce success
full imitation.
Yet some limitations are put on the
market. There was, for instance, the
fraud Of which Prof. Cope was for a
time the victim.
Prof. Cope made specially of fos-
sils and in one of his treaties an
nounced the discovery of the Coeno-
tasileus tremontigerus, a new variety
of mastodon. In note in a subsequent
edition he acknowledged he was mis-
taken and that no such animal ever
existed.
He was led into error by purchasing
what was represented to be tooth of
a hitherto unknown herd. Prof. Cope
set out to discover the animal to
which it had belonged, and classified
it among the mastodons. 1t was not
until after his publication of the fact
that he discovered the fraud that had
been practised on him.
Three teeth of familiar variety had
been glued together in way that
could not be detected except by micro
scopic examination. Prof. Cope worked
out his animal, and it was something
even larger than common or garden
mastodon before he took to the mi
croscope.
In the same way a noted English
naturalist was several years ago made
a victim of similar deception. A
curious and unprecedented tooth was
sold to him by man who declared
that he had found it in part OF
France especially rich in fossils.
The scientist had made extinct YER
tebrates his special study. He was
working hard over this tooth, and was
prepared to produce almost any kind
of exotic and extinct animal when his
suspicious were awakened as to its
authenticity.
1t was then discovered that it con-
sisted of three teeth taken from the
remains of prehistoric fish and glued
together. The teeth of the fish were
common enough and singly could have
been recognized Immediately. 1t was
only the appearance of the three to-
gether and attributed to a mammal
that mystified the learned doctor.
The Indian relics that are now dug
up in the southwest are not believed
to be forged to any considerable ex-
tent. Every piece that is bought for
a museum of any pretensions must be
accredited, and if it's pedigree
the name of no reputable
scientist there is little chance that 1t
will be accepted. In case it has such
authorization the testimony Of this
expert will be sought.
There have undoubtedly been cases
in which articles dug up at the home
If former cliff jewellers were deposit
ed there in advance, but such frauds
have been detected and the money
brought by seGobjects is not suffi-
Gent to make imposture on any extern
,ive scale worth while.
Indian dress, arrows, household
goods and similar relics are manufac-
,ured by the Indians for sale just as
hey always have been, and they are
not sold as antiques by any but the
small dealers. The same holds true
If the Alaskan relics that are begin
ling to have an interest for American
collectors.
They are made now in larger guam
tiles than ever, and are always what |
he shopkeepers represent them to be.
They are too crude and too easily i'm
tated for the temptation to be resist
ID, but there is no trouble in finding
he genuine relics in sufficient sup
lies for the museums. Even they are
lot sold at very high prices.
ut is the cheapness of most of tho
rticles that helps to prevent imita-
ion," DR.. Matthew told the Sun re.
'orter, land the money paid for them
s not enough to make the industry
rofitable on any large scale.
IF anybody should send to the mu-
cum here the teeth that deceived Prof.
'opc we should not pay more than ten
ollars for them. So you see it is not
1orth while to make a very elaborate
raud for that"