Jensen, Utah, Nov. 29, 1912

Dr. Wm. J. Holland

Carnegie Museum

Pittsburg, Pa.



My dear Dr. Holland:-

I suppose you are back to the Museum again, and Mr. Stewart has told you something of affairs out here. Work, of course, has been progressing here continuously. Things have opened up in such a way that we are able to push the work with ever increasing rapidity, so we have accumulated a large amount of material.

Our work has of late been principally in the West-Extension of the quarry. Most of the bones here have been associated in large parts of skeletons. One skeleton, No. 160 is of Especial interest. The spinal column was articulated from about the 7th or 8th vertebra of the neck to what appears to be the end of the tail, in which I make out over 80 vertebrae. Two cervicals -- about the 5th & 6th or 6th & 7th -- as nearly as I can tell, were disarticulated and at right angles to the rest of the neck.

Yesterday -- Thanksgiving Day -- I found a skull complete, with lower jaw nearly or quite in place -- probably articulated about 25 ft. from the last mentioned cervical vertebrae and under the anterior portion of the tail. Apparently the atlas is in place (articulated with the condyle). This leaves the axis and say three or four of the cervicals to be found, and I think they will be found between the anterior cervicals that have been brought to light and the skull.

This skeleton, so far as I could see, did not look like that of a typical Brontosaurus, but more like Brontosaurus than Diplodocus, yet the skull is apparently that of Diplodocus, exactly so far as I can see. This skull when carefully worked out ought to leave no doubt as to the anatomy of the cranium.

The skeleton is not what we would call large, that is when talking of Brontosaurs or Diplodo cusses, 'yet' the tail is 35 or 36 ft long. Probably the whole skeleton was not more than 60 to 65 ft in length.

I am inferring that this skull belongs to No. 160. It is, I judge about the right size and then it is approximately in the direction in which I expected to find it so I really believe that it belongs to that animal. If it does I think we will find the axis, and then we can see if it fits the atlas.

This confirms my belief that the other so called Diplodocus skull which we found (the complete one) belongs to No. 40 or possibly No. 1, and that Marsh's Brontosaurus skull is a myth -- and yet the old boy usually knew what he was talking about.

If we have not the skull of No. 1 I believe, from my experience in the quarry that it will yet turn up, but that's just my private opinion. If there is a practically complete skeleton here I believe that, as a rule, the skull is somewhere around, but if the skeleton is more disarticulated and scattered the skull has probably been, as a rule, disarticulated too, but this is between you and me and the quarry.

How did the Laosaurus turn out? I judge that the bones are in bad shape but they are precious, as you remember, I suppose that we have the skull of that specimen.

Considering the rarity of complete skulls of Dinosaurs I think that three whole skulls is not a bad record and it may be that one or two may turn up yet when bones are worked out.

We have several large parts of skeletons of Diplodocus which ought to make excellent material for exchange but aside from that it seems to me we have a great variety of material which we will need for exhibition and study.

We have another almost complete tail. The more anterior vertebra of which look Brontosaurus-like but the vertebrae keep shortening and getting smaller to the distal end not at all like Bront. or Dip. the last as I remember being not larger than a pipe stem and not much more than an inch in length. This bids fair to be a complete skeleton but the tail was in the old quarry and it would take some little time to get down to the remainder of it. I think I wrote you about the spinal column that I guessed might be a small Morosaurus.

All of No. 160 which has been found will be boxed and ready for shipment by tomorrow night except the skull and a shoulder blade. It will take but a short time to get these ready. Not all of the limb-bones have been found but they may turn up later. The bones of this skeleton will require hardening but apparently they are not much disturbed.

We expect the teams back for a third load tomorrow or next day. They will have to make a 4th trip. So far we have not had a misfortune or accident in shipping. The specimens are securely boxed in good strong boxes -- much better than the other shipment.

We are having beautiful weather here.

How does it seem to be called Grandpa Holland?

Mrs. Douglass sends regards and Congratulations.



Yours as ever,

Earl Douglass