Princeton, June 1, 1878.
Sir: We transmit herewith our report upon the Palæontological collections made by the Princeton party in the summer of 1877.
The following persons constituted the Palæontological division: Rollin H. Lynde, Henry F. Osborn, Jotham Potter, Wm. B. Scott, Francis Speir, Jr. The division remained in Colorado from the first of July until the first of August, when, under the direction of Professor Kargè, it left the main party, and passed the month of August in Wyoming, returning in the first part of September. The Colorado collections were mostly made in the (probable) Miocene beds near Florissant, and in the beds near the Garden of the Gods, variously referred to the Dakota and Wealden groups. In Wyoming, with Fort Bridger as a base of explorations, the division was wholly occupied in the Bridger series, camping successively on Smith's Fork, Henry's Fork, and Dry Creek, and exploring the beds adjacent.
It has been our endeavor, in confining our attention to the remains of vertebrated animals collected during the trip, not merely to catalogue the direct results, but, by the aid of fresh materials, to supplement the work of others. For, of the descriptions and data of the Bridger Eocene Fauna published up to the present time, we find that even those which have been most accurately prepared are lacking in important details; and that, owing to imperfect materials, large gaps yet remain in our knowledge of genera and species named and classed years ago. Although such supplementary work may appear, at first sight, tedious and ill-directed, we are confident that in the end it will prove of some value to science, and that it is therefore well worthy of our effort. While our field work did not extend beyond a region previously well explored, we obtained material by means of which we are able to add a number of new fossils to the Eocene Fauna of the Bridger group.
In the preparation of this report we have experienced much difficulty in assigning some of our specimens to their proper genera and species. For, while we have desired to respect the classifications made by others, we have in many cases found it impossible to do so, owing to uncharacteristic definition, which, without doubt, has been unavoidable. In all cases of uncertainty, we have adopted the classification which appeared to be the best established. This, in short, has proved the only available course.
The drawings have been executed with much care as to accuracy of proportion and outline. They are, with one exception, the work of a member of the party; and they are inserted simply to illustrate certain parts of the context, which would be unsatisfactory without reference to figures of the kind.
Now that the present work is ready for the press, we are very sensible that it must contain errors which, while they have escaped our notice, will be readily detected by eyes more experienced. These, we trust, will be excused, when it is remembered that we are just entering a field which others have explored for years; and opening a work which Princeton, with her many other lines of study, has never hitherto attempted.
We lake this opportunity to return our most hearty thanks to General Flint, to Judge and Dr. Carter, to Mr. Hamilton, and other officers and residents at Fort Bridger, who, by their good will and liberal assistance, contributed largely to our success. Our gratitude is also due to Professors Leidy and Cope for their generous aid, both in the way of advice and of material put in our hands for comparison.
The following pages do not embrace descriptions of the entire collections made by the Princeton party last summer. The valuable specimens of fossil plants and insects have passed into other hands.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY F. OSBORN,
WM. B. SCOTT,
FRANCIS SPEIR, Jr.