New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-12
RARE FOSSILS FOUND.
Museum of Natural History Makes
ETtensiUe Discoveries an Egypt.

collection Of some of the rarest fossils ever
brought to this country from Northern Egypt is
expected to arrive IN this city in a few days With
these added, according the officials Of the Amer
lean Museum of Natural History. that institution
viii have the largest and most complete collection
CT fossil IN the world.
The exploring party left New York on January
3. under the direction of Professor H. F. Osborne.
Vlce-president of the museum and Walter Granger
and George Olsen, members of the museum staff.
Arrived in Cairo. Egypt. a month later. the
pIorers engaged twenty Egyptians to assist them
and the next day the expedition began its journey
10 the Fayum Desert, seventy miles away, arriving
there on February 19.
the Nile Valley. Professor Osborne outlined the
work for his men and stayed there month and
then left his assistants to complete the exploring
while he came to New York. Mr.. Granger and Mr..
Olsen then explored the desert until May q. when.
having completed the collection. they started for
nome, arriving few days ago. The collection
put into twenty-seven large packing cases and
shipped on a freight steamer. which is expected
IN this city some day next week.
Some OF the rare discoveries OF the explorers
they brought along with them. One of them NJ.
Granger had in his office yesterday. 1t is q fossil
crab which he found in the Mokkatan Hills, which
form part OF the east bank of the Nile said
10 be over million years old. The crab was i'm
bedded in limestone, but It's claws and fins may be
uIsuhcuy seen 1t Is the only one of Its kind in
this country. the museum authorities say. and the
third one In the world The other in
seums in Europe.
The main object OF the expedition was to seek the
ancestor OF the elephant. very important find
was that Of the ancestral elephant known as the
paIaeomastodon. The skeleton is complete,
but the skull, the lower jaw, leg and feet bones
and several verterbr@ were found. A thorough
search was made for the missing bones, but with
no success According to Mr.. Granger this ami
NAL dates back than q million years.
Another important fossil found that Of a
Skull OF an arsinoitherium, which takes II
from Queen Arsnoe who reigned 3l6 b c. The
skull which is very rare Is the only IN this
country and there only two in the world They
BODY and legs Of this animal have never been
found Biologists after many years of exploring
Tor this specimen have never much found a
none Of foot or toe. 1t IS puzzling mystery to
bones of the ungulates and rodents IS the first
time that the fossil rodent was ever found I'm
hsypt. but many have been found IN other parts OF
AFRICA Several skulls OF the ancient crocodile
found their heads being from three four feet
long. Judging from the size Of tho skulls. accord
ing to Mr.. Granger the bodies have been
from twenty to twenty-five feet long.
Speaking Of the ages of the fossils, Mr. Granger
said biologists hold that here the bones OF ami
mails not complete and cannot be made COM
plete they must have lived two million years ago.
Seeking the ancestor OF the elephant" said Mr..
Granger. is hard task With the mammals a
wonderful change takes place in each successive
period. Unlike the mammals. the crab hasn't
changed for the last million years. Even reptiles
have shown little change since the earliest known
period.
We particularly interested in tho skull Of
The arsinoitherlum existed long b. fore the crab
and must have lived more than three million years
ago. Nearly one-half of the collection consists OF
bones OF tho skull of this animal. In the collection
Of these fossils have over five hundred speci-
mems.
The museum has now the largest and rarest COL
lection Of fossils IN the world. Before We began
exploring. the Survey Department OF Egypt eX-
tended every courtesy that could possibly
poet. They lent water tanks and equipment %
assist US IN carrying our work. Before We left
New York President Roosevelt. Joseph II. Choate
and Charles D. WaCott. 4 director OF the museum.
sent letters to Lord Croner and other officials OF
the English protectorate in Egypt indorsing tho
expedition.
During the exploring the natives. who we'll
trained. did good work IN spite OF the hot sun.
The thermometer often registered 100 degrees in
the shade. Around the early part OF May tho
weather became extremely hot that
forced quit. We had irtenGcd 10 stay until Juno
!, but under such conditions white man could
stand T. We could only work a little time each
day, when the regular northwest wind blew up
four hours In the carly morning and In the after
noon. that wind was a great RELIEF 70 -.
I'VE encountered several severe snndstorns. and
several times our tents were blown away during
the night Wa twenty-five miles from drink
ing water. but always had eight camels the
day and night to keep the camp Well supplied.
We paying the laboTcTs Is 10 - cents a day.
They faithful and cid their work we'll.
In some OF the excavations we found skeletons
OF the ancient and aberrart whales, which existed
generations ago They have become entirely
tlnct. We also found rows Of ivory teeth that be-
l0nged animals that existed far back that
the time cannot possibly be established.
Some OF these teeth different from any ever
found before. They evidently came from animal
that has not get come under the observation OF
Geologists
When the collection arrives It Will be put on ex-
hibition soon as it can be fitted up.