The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-12-18
LOCATE SITE OF
REPTILIAN LIFE
archaeological Garden of Eden"
Is Discovered by Explorers
In Mongolia.

New York.-A 23-year-old prophecy
that the origin of the reptilian and
mammalian life of the world would be
found In central Asia has been CON
f1rmed by fossil discoveries In central
and western Mongolia made by the
Asiatic expedition sent out from the
American Museum of Natural History
here. A archaeological Garden of
Hden" was found that gave forth in
disputahle evidence of the soundness
of the theory, propounded in 1900 by
Prof. Henry Fairfield Osborn, presi-
dent of the museum
These discoveries were made public
here by Roy Chapman Andrews, lead
er of the Asiatic expedition and asso-
ciate curator of mammals of the East
ern hemisphere at the museum, in an
interview arranged through the cour-
tesy Of the American Museum of Nat
ural History and Asia Magazine, I'M
der whose auspices the expedition was
inaugurated.
The data accumulated by Mr.. An
drews and his co-workers on the ex-
petition include:
1. Definite proof that at the time
when Europe and America were half
formed continents, barely emerging
from the sea what Is now central Asia
and Tibet was n beautiful and fertile
plateau land, Astounding In vegetable
and animal life.
Asla-Amercan Connection.
2. The unearthing of the fossilized
remains of the ancestors of the now
extinct monsters which later migrated
from this plateau land to other parts
of the world, including Europe and
America.
3. Confirmation of the assertion
that a broad land connection between
Asia and Americn' by way of Alaska
has existed, geologicalIy speaking, up
until recent times. Remains of man.
mails known to have kept to the land,
and whose fossiiized descendants have
been found in America. were brought
TO light by the expedition.
= d. Although no direct evidence was
found bearing on the ancestry Of man,
the theory of his central Asian origin |
was strongly reinforced 1t is be-
iieved that the forcrunners of the hui
man race would have found favor |
Hbie environment for development in
The type of country which existed dur
Ing Tertiary times in what is now
Mongolia.
A find OF % specimen eggs Of the
1lnosaur. large reptile of the lower
Jretaceous period, was made by
ieorge Olsen, paleontolegist on the
,fnf of 1,n
irst dinosaur eggs ever known to the
YOrld although several natural sclen-
lists have conjectHred that the reptile
aid eggs. Inside several of them.
which are estimated to be from 1000
100 to 100000 years old, were found
he skeletons of embryonic dinosaurs.
'Ome of the eggs were In almost per-
Get condition.
Dinosaurs Ancestor.
Mr. Andrews declared that the
american nation had unique scien-
lie collection In the 20 skulls of the
which show the de-
efopment of the animal from shortly
fter birth to old age. The protocera-
BPS was discovered I'm Mongolia and
rOved to be ancestral to the great
'illed, horned dinosaur of America,
e said.
Last year the Asiatfc expedition
ave to the world the skull of the
rgest herbiverous animal ever
nOwD. This was the BaIuchItherium, !.
hlch resembled giant rhinoceros. :
fithin the last few months the expe-
tion added to this find splendid
Sull of the largest flesl-eating man.
al heretofore discovered. According
the reconstruction OF experts with
lie expedition, 1t was q huge hyena-
20 animal, 80 feet In length, 6 or
et high. and with Jaw spread of
,out 2 feet. 1t Is thought that 1t fed
carriOn. The skull bears re- y
mblance to that of the mesonyx, :.
,ecimens of which have been found
the Uinta mountains in Utah.
The Asiatic expedition has now been
inning for three years, and is sched- 8
ed to run for two mere. But to stop
ork in Mongolia, "the largest and
chest fossil field In the world" after
ly two more years, would be aban-
ming a veritable gold mine of data,
clared Mr.. Andrews. His presence e
New York is prompted by desire p
continue the work for five years b
pre- and the consequent necessity Of
nncing the extended project, he ex- h
aimed. b