DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

WASHINGTON D. C., June 10, 1985.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

My dear sir,

In February 1983, I sent you a box of vertebrate specimens collected from lake beds in the Great Basin by Mr. Russell and Mr. McGee. My letter of transmittal is dated Feb. 24. Will you have the kindness to return the specimens. I need to refer to them in the completion of a manuscript now nearly ready for the printer.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON D. C., July 15, 1885.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

My dear Prof. Marsh,

The vertebrate specimens collected by my assistants in the Great Basin were seen by you in 1883, and you selected from them a few things of biologic interest. These were sent to you in New Haven. The remainder of the material was deposited in the National Museum. Mr. McGee has instituted a search for it this year and failed to find it; but he has discovered that Dr. C. A. White, acting as Curator of the Museum, packed a lot of bones of which he has no specific record in four boxes which were sent you from the National Museum on the 23d of November, 1883. On the following day another box was sent you from the Geological Survey, but of this also we have no record as to contents. It is possible that these four or five boxes contain our collections, and if your records enable you to identify the boxes, it is worth while to open them and investigate.
Unless the specimens are thus found, we have no clue.

The collections included (1) bones from the Lahontan lake beds, a series of strata we have succeeded in correlating with

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the glaciers of the Sierra Nevada. (2) Specimens from Button's Ranch, Christmas Lake, a locality of which we have not established the horizon, although it is presumptively post-Tertiary.

(3) Specimens from valleys lying between the Lahontan basin and the Sierra Nevada, the horizons of which are not determined, but are presumptively Tertiary. For reasons presently to be given, our chief interest, I may almost say our only interest, as geologists, is in the specimens from the Lahontan basin. These have for their localities Mill City, Rye Patch and possibly some other spot on the Humboldt River, and also the canon of Walker River. This last locality is to be discriminated from various localities on the upper branches on the of Walker River which we suspect to be Tertiary. I think all the labels attached to Lahontan fossils from Walker River will include the word "canon".

Our interest depends upon the following facts. In the first place, when you saw the specimens together in 1883, you said that the Lahontan specimens evidently belonged to the Equus fauna.

Now, if your first impression is sustained by further examination it enables us to say that the Equus fauna coexisted with the glaciers of the Sierra up to a time very near the date of their final melting. In the second place, Mr. McGee found with these bones an obsidian arrowhead under circumstances which render the discovery peculiarly authentic. We would like to know, if possible, what are the animals with which this arrowhead was associated.

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I may add that while Mr. Russell's monograph on Lake Lahontan has been proof-read, Mr. McGee and I both have manuscript in preparation which really ought not to go to press without the benefit of whatever light you may be able to throw upon these specimens. We shall therefore be greatly obliged if you will give the subject early attention.

Address reply to
—Box 591—
Washington, D. C.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

APPALACHIAN DIVISION OF GEOLOGY

WASHINGTON D. C., May 4, 1887.

Prof. O. C. Marsh

New Haven, Conn.

My dear sir

I enclose a letter from Mr. Russell in regard to the
Deep River Mines. Is the information it conveys sufficient to
guide your collector, or do you still desire that a geologist
prospect the grounds in advance?

Address reply to
Box 591,
Washington, D. C.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 24, 1888.

Prof. O.C.Marsh,
New Haven, Conn.

Dear Sir:

I expect to visit several localities in Colorado, Wyoming, etc., this summer for the purpose of studying the stratigraphy of the Jurassic and Triassic systems. While explaining my plans to Dr. C. A. White he informed me that you have collectors at certain Jurassic localities near Canon City, Colo., and Como, Wyoming, and suggested that I should ask you for a note of introduction to the men whom you employ at these places, in order that they might understand the object of my visit and allow me to see the exposures where Jurassic fossils have been obtained.

My studies will be confined to stratigraphy, and are for the purpose of assisting me in writing a review of what has been done in regard to the history and relations of the Jurassic and Triassic systems. My paper will be one of ten or

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

July 13, 1889.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

My Dear Sir:--

About a year ago you consented to undertake the preparation of a paper on the correlation of American formations as based on vertebrate remains. I have not called upon you for reports of progress, having consideration for the fact that you submitted monthly reports as Chief of your Paleontologic Division, and thinking that a call for another periodical report might prove annoying. At the present time, however, I have been called upon to prepare for publication an annual report of the work of the Division of Geologic Correlation, and I shall be greatly obliged if you will make such a report as will enable me properly to characterize the work that you have done for the Division during the past fiscal year.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

GEOLOGIC BRANCH

WASHINGTON D. C. Aug. 6, 1889.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

My Dear Marsh:--

I quite agree with you that the most satisfactory way of reaching an understanding with reference to the essay on correlation is through conversation, and I shall avail myself of the first opportunity for a conference, but in the meantime I will try to make a little progress by letter.

A good many vertebrate fossils from the United States have been described, and many of the descriptions are accompanied by statements as to the formations from which the bones were obtained and the localities of their occurrence. So far as that has been done, the descriptions are available for the purpose of the correlation of formations.

To a certain extent, the material has been thus used by yourself and others, and opinions based upon it have been published in regard to the age of various American formations. In connection with the correlation essays I should like to have the opinions

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

GEOLOGIC BRANCH

WASHINGTON D. C. Sept. 17, 1889.

My Dear Marsh:--

I am going to Massachusetts on a variety of errands, and shall stop at New Haven on my return early in October, if I can find you there at that time. I want specially to talk over that essay matter. Address reply to Washington.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

GEOLOGIC BRANCH

Washington, D. C., October 3, 1889.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

Dear Sir:--

Major Powell has requested me to mention to you that he saw a large collection of Bad-Land fossils at Glendive, Montana. They were gathered by and belong to Mr. J. H. Ray. He has no suggestion in regard to them, but thought it well that you be informed of the existence of the collection, in case you are not already aware of it.