essential high qualities necessary to a
real naturahst.
J. L. Wortman — A Biographical Sketch
By henry FAIRFIELD OSBORN
Honorarj' Curator
THOSE who have never been in a
fossil-hunting camp with J. L.
Wortman and witnessed his
boundless energy and enthusiasm can
hardly realize the
great part he played
in the history of
vertebrate palaeon-
tology in America.
It was indeed a rare
bit of one's educa-
tion as a palseontol-
ogist to see hun re-
turn to camp on a
cold night after a
hard day's fossil-
hunt, roll a ciga-
rette, huddle as
close to the fire as
possible, and tell
glowingly of the
day's discovery or
lament bitterly the
fatigue and exhaus-
tion of fruitless
search. After a
large draught of hot
coffee and perhaps
a good supper, the
casualties of the
day were forgotten
and the Doctor
would begin to
philosophize or dis-
cuss some favorite
hobby of his in com-
parative anatomy
or to expound some
new theoiy of mam-
malian descent,
stimulated perhaps by some outstand-
ing "find" of the season. Such
personal contacts were frequently en-
joyed by the writer of this tribute
652
J. L. Wortman, first field collector of the depart-
ment of vertebrate palseontology, American Museum
during the brief but brilliant peiiod of
eight years when Doctor Wortman laid
the first field foundations of mammalian
and reptilian paleontology in the
American Museum
of Natural History.
The writer's first
choice of a field
leader fell in the
autumn of 1890
upon John Bell
Hatcher, who was
at that time in the
Peabody Museum
of Yale University
under Professor O.
C. Marsh. Hatcher
had, indeed, made
the first advances to
the American Mu-
seum of Natural
History, but after
arranging for a def-
inite call he was
induced to retain
his old post under
Marsh, wherein he
had done signal
service in the collec-
tion of the titano-
tberes of South
Dakota and the
giant horned cera-
topsians of Con-
verse County,
Wyoming. Upon
Hatcher's final dec-
lination, Wortman
received the call
from the American
Museum. He was already highly ex-
perienced — in fact, a peer of Hatcher's,
for he had served for an equally long
period under Marsh's great rival. Cope,
J. L. WORTH AN— A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
653
especially in tlie Lower Eocene foima-
tions of the Wind River and Wasatch
of Wyomino;.
Accordingly, when (ho sunnncr of
1S91 was well advanced, Wortnian, as
assistant curator of the department of
manniialian palaeontology, went into
the Wasatch beds of Wyoming and,
despite his previous explorations there,
brought back a small ])ut very impor-
tant collection of Coryphodon, Eohip-
jnis, Systcmodon, Heptodon — in other
words, coryphodonts, four-toed horses,
tapirs, and lophiodonts. In a very
small laboratory in the very roof of the
Museum, at the top of an old elevator
shaft, Wortman and the writer worked
these fossils out of the rock together,
and extracted from them much new
and significant light upon the life and
times known as 'Wasatch' and the
'Wind River.' The outstanding dis-
covery was the beautiful skull of
Palseonictis, a very ancient carnivore,
hitherto known only in the Soissonais
of France. Many of the new points of
great interest were described in the
first joint bulletin of Doctor Wortman
and the writer, which was published in
1892 under the title of "Fossil Mam-
mals of the Wasatch and Wind River
Beds."
With this very promising opening of
the year 1891, Doctor Wortman con-
tinued as leader of all the American
Museum expeditions to the Rocky
Mountain region between the years
1891 and 1898, and it was with great
regret in the year 1899 that the Mu-
seum accepted his resignation as
assistant curator to become curator
in charge of vertebrate palaeontology
in the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, he had not only very
thoroughly explored the Wasatch,
Wind River, and White River horizons
of Dakota with new and ))rilliant re-
sults in each field of work, l)ut had
begun, in the final season of 1899, to
explore the dinosaur beds of Wyoming
in the region of Medicine ]iow, the
locality famous in literature as the
starting point of The Virginian of
Owen Wister. Not the least of his
great services to palaeontology and to
the American Museum during this
period was the splendid field training
which he gave to Walter Granger,
Albert Thomson, and 0. A. Peterson,
each of whom has since become distin-
guished in the branch of work in which
he served as apprentice under Wortman.
His chief contribution to science
previous to this period was a book on
the anatomy of the teeth. While
serving under Professor Cope, Wort-
man had no opportunity to describe
any of the remarkable fossils which
he discovered. As soon as he came
under the writer's direction, he was
given a generous share of the fossils of
his own finding and in several instances
the best finds of the season were placed
in his hands, notably the very ancient
animals he called Ganodonta, which are
otherwise related to the sloth tribe but
are distinguished by the persistence of
enamel on the teeth, a dental feature
which is wanting in all the true Eden-
tata. His contributions to the Ameri-
can Museum Bidletin between the
years 1892 and 1899 include fourteen
papers numbering 394 pages.
After his many years of service in the
American, the Carnegie, and the Yale
museums, Doctor Wortman retired to
Brownsville, Texas, where he lived
until his decease, on June 25, 1926.
Photograph by George Palmer Putnam
A Greanland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) caught by natives at Upernivik, North
Greenland, and being hauled aboard the launch by Carl Dunrad and Will Bartlett. These
sharks which appear so firm and whiphke under waiter are really quite soft, and partly flabby,
when taken out of their element. In years past these great carrion eaters accompanied
the whalers about Greenland and even off the northeastern coast of the United States,
appearing in numbers when there was flesh to be had
Photograph by H. C. Raven
A search of the literature deaHng with fishes of the north Atlantic has failed to reveal
a record of the color pattern of the Greenland shark, which consists of numerous dark bands
on the back and sides of its body. Part of the animal's dark grayish-brown color is due to
dirt and shme adhering to the rough skin, but the color pattern remains after this has been
washed off
The Greenland Shark
By II. C. RAVICN
Associate Curator, Comparative and Human Anatomy
ONE of the most iinportant specimens
secured by the American Museum's
Greenland Expedition under the
leadership of Mr. George Palmer
Putnam was the Greenland shark, which
will be prepared for exhibition in the
new Hall of Fishes. This animal inhabits
principally the seas about Iceland and Green-
land, and rarely comes far enough south to be
taken on the northeastern coast of the United
States. In consequence of its boreal habitat,
few naturalists have had the opportunity of
observing this interesting animal in life.
The body of the Greenland shark is slender
and nearly circular in section, gradually
tapering backward from the region of the
pectoral fin, where it is thickest. This shark
is characterized by small fins, the dorsals,
about equal in size, being exceptionally
small and spineless, though as in members of
the Squalidse to which it is related there is no
anal fin. The tail resembles the homocercal
type in outline, though less so than in the
mackerel sharks. All the fins are compara-
tively thin and more flexible than in most
shai'ks, which gives an impression of weakness.
The skin is decidedly rough and abrasive,
as it is covered with erect shagreen denticles.
The color of the animal as a whole is dark
grayish-brown. Part of this coloration is due
to slime and dirt adhering to the skin, even in
life. When this has been scraped off, the
skin is seen to be more of a bluish-gray, with-
out any brown. The back and sides of the
body are crossed by numerous narrow dark
bands which, as a rule, are not very distinct.
By examination of five specimens, the food
of these fishes was shown to be practically
any kind of flesh they were able to obtain.
Most often there would be remains of small
fishes, the two commonest species being the
Greenland rock cod (Gadus ogac) and the
Greenland sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius).
One shark contained the remains of a small
lump-fish only five or six inches in length. In
another was the greater part of a small seal
(probably Phoca vitulina) which had been
bitten to pieces, each piece being from seven
to ten inches long. There were feathers of
some sea bird and numerous invertebrates
and other material that was unidentifiable.
The Greenlanders catch these sluggish sharks
on ordinary hook and fine and use the dried
flesh for food for dogs during the winter. The
most valuable part of the shark, however, is
the liver, from which a quantity of oil is
procured by boihng. This oil is placed in
kegs and shipped to Denmark The Uver is
large, — that of a ten-foot shark measured six
feet.
The largest shark we saw was slightly more
than ten feet long. The average length is
about nine feet and the maximum of which I
have heard was approximately fifteen feet.
NOTES
CENTRAL ASIATIC EXPEDITIONS
Winter Plans.- — Mr. Walter Granger,
chief palaeontologist of the Museum's Central
Asiatic Expeditions, in a letter addressed to
President Osborn dated October 15, 1926,
from Yunnanfu, outlines plans for the winter.
With Mr. Granger is Mr. N. C. Nelson,
archaeologist, who is searching for remains of
prehistoric man. As far as Yunnanfu the
two explorers were accompanied by their
wives. The party arrived there on September
17 after having had experiences with typhoons
on the China coast and delays at Tongking
due to the flooding of the country, which
interfered with railroad travel. By good
fortune the trip to Yunnanfu, a three days'
ride, was made without delay between long
periods of interrupted raikoad traffic.
Nearly a month was required at Yurmanfu
to secure a caravan of thirteen horses and
attend to formal and official matters. On the
day of wTiting the caravan had gone forward
to a temple on the opposite side of the lake,
where camp would be made for the night.
Mr. Granger and Mr. Nelson were to make
this part of the trip by boat. Mrs. Granger
and Mrs. Nelson were to remain at Yunnanfu,
where they were to keep house in the American
655
656
NATURAL HISTORY
Consulate during the interval folloTs-ing the
leaving of Mr. Mj^ers, the consul, and the
arrival of his successor.
The plan of operations is first to make a
six or seven days' trip to Yuan-Kiang ( n the
Red River, almost directlj' south of Yunnan-
fu, dropping from an altitude of 6500 feet
to one of 1500 feet. It is hoped that Mr.
Nelson may find archaeological remains in the
Red River valley and that Mr. Granger may
make a zoological collection. Later a trip
westward from Yunnanfu to TaUfu is planned,
to be followed by trips to the northwest and
east. Besides these definite trips. Mr.
Granger hopes to visit certain locaUties from
which fossils have been obtained. Condi-
tions, however, are bad as regards bandits, and
travel, even by missionaries; is now restricted
in Yunnan.
FISHES
Angola Fresh-water Fishes. — The de-
partment of fishes is studying a fresh-water
collection obtained in Angola by the Vernay
Expedition. This area lies just outside the
remarkable highly developed fish fauna of
the Congo Basin, and this collection comprises
mostly minnows (Barbus) and perchlike
Cichlids, "SM'th onlj' an occasional Mormyrid
and Characin. A review of Angola fishes
correlated with Mr. Boulton's (one of the
collectors) more or less first hand knowledge
of the physiography of the coimtry, should
give an interesting side fight on the distribu-
tion of old-world fresh-water fishes. The
genus Barbus seems to have entered Africa in
the northeast, spread rapidly through east
and multipUed in south Africa, without gain-
ing anj' dominant position in the Congo
fauna.
MAMMALS
Mediteeraxean Seals for the Mtr-
SETJM. — Through the field work of Mr. Jesse
MetcaK, of New York City, the American
Museum has just acqiiired skins and entire
skeletons of three Mediterranean seals, com-
prising an old male 8 feet 6 inches long, an
adult female, and a very yoimg cub. The
specimens are accompanied by measurements,
as well as by photographs and notes relating
to the animals and to their haunts among the
sea caves of the Desertas Islands, off ^Madeira.
This rare seal which was formerly widely
distributed in the iSIediterranean region, is
one of the subtropical genus known as Mon-
achus, the "monk seals." Seals of related
species were formerly abundant in the Carib-
bean Sea and on the shores of certain mid-
Pacific islands, but they have long been greatly
reduced in numbers, if not quite exterminated.
It is believed that the three examples of the
Mediterranean species which Mr. Metcalf has
presented, are the first in any American
collection.
The search for this seal was one of the ob-
jects of the cruise described in the leading
article of this issue of Natural History.
It was not encountered ^-ithin the Mediter-
ranean Sea, however, although Mr. W. K.
Vanderbilt reports that he recently observed
one or more of the animals off the coast of
Tunis.
After Doctor ISIm-phj-'s departure from the
"Wawaloam," Mr. Metcalf continued his
voyage, taking with him Mr. Ogilvie Gordon,
of London, as natural historj^ collector. The
yacht first \-isited the Spanish island of Al-
boran and then proceeded through the Strait
of Gibraltar and southward to Madeira, the
Desertas and the Salvages groups. Landings
were made and collections obtained upon
seven or more islets, the most interesting
experiences being the penetration of the seal
caves on Deserta Grande and the subsequent
capture, with the aid of several skilled Portu-
guese cragsmen, of a family of the desired sea
mammals. Thi'oughout the work at the islands,
the expedition received generous pri^dleges
and personal assistance from Col A. R. B.
Cossart, of Funchal, owner of the Desertas.
Other natm-al history material obtained by
Mr. Metcalf in this part of the world includes
insects, marine fishes, and invertebrates,
Hzards, and both land and sea birds. Among
the birds are several kinds new to the collec-
tions of the Museum. ]Most interesting of all
is a petrel {Pterodroma mollis Jese) locally
called by the Portuguese word meaning "nun."
It is kno-mi to nest in onl}- a few inaccessable
locaUties on the islands between Madeira
and the Cape Verde group. Specimens of
adults and yoiing make an important addition
to the Museum's collection of petrels and their
aUies, which is now more nearly complete
than an}' other in the world.
One do'mi}' chick of the "nun petrel,"
obtained on the Island of Bugio on September
23d, has been fed on raw fish by Mr. and ^Irs.
Metcalf, and on the date of this note (De-
cember 31) is still flourishing in New York.
There is perhaps no other instance of a bird of
this group thriving so long in capti^^ty.
NOTES
657
Taylor Sudan Expkdition. — Mr. living
K. Taylor, a Life Member of the American
Museum of Natural History, one of the Board
of Directors of the New York Zoological
Society, and a director of the Explorers Club,
left New York City early in December on an
expedition to the Egyptian Sudan. Mr. Taylor
has made three expeditions into this region
as a sportsman and has generously decided
to make his fourth trip to the Sudan an
American Museum expedition. He is taking
\\ath him as the Museum representative Mr.
H. E. Anthonj"-, curator of mammals of the
world in the American Museum.
This expedition is known as the Taylor
Sudan Expedition and all of the resources and
energies of the party will be devoted to the
collection of material for the Museum. The
primary purpose is the formation of large
studj^ collections of mammals, birds, fishes,
and reptiles, together with photographs, both
moving and still, and notes on observations,
etc. If any fine exhibition material is secured,
plans will be made to include it in the proposed
Hall of Mammals of the World.
j\Ir. Tajdor's long experience in the region
insures an advantageous arrangement of
transportation. Part of the time the expedi-
tion will work from a small steamer, chartered
specially for the trip, ascending the White
Nile and stopping to collect wherever speci-
mens are encountered. There will also be
one or more trips made by camel away from
the Nile to collect the desert fauna and the
animal Hfe of the foothills along the Abyssinian
frontier.
The region about the White Nile and the
Blue Nile is today one of the finest hunting
grounds in Africa. Not only are most of the
commoner species of African mammals en-
countered here, but also species of antelope,
such as the white-eared kob and Mrs. Gray's
kob, wliich are found nowhere else. The
American Museum has practically no material
from the Sudan in its collections, and Mr.
Taylor's generous gift of all of the specimens
to be collected on his expedition ^\dll fill a
very real need.
The Taylor Sudan Expedition mil be gone
about six months and will operate out of
Khartoum as a base.
MINERALS
A Novel Idea in Locality Collections. —
During the recent visit to this country of
Queen Marie of Roumania, the department
of minerals in the American Museum featured
a temporary exhibit of the minerals of Rou-
mania, involving several ideas that are be-
lieved to be new in nmseum installation.
The 250 specimens representing Roumanian
localities contained in the general series were
not removed to a separate case, but remained
in their places distributed throughout the
collection, and were designated by a narrow
strip of colored paper in the Roumanian colors
(red, orange, and blue) attached to the mount.
Paper shields !}•! inches by 1% inches in the
same colors were attached to the glass of the
cases as markers in such a manner as not to
interfere in any way with the view. A group
label of conspicuous size and position called
the attention of the visitor to the specimens
thus singled out, by directing him to look for
the Roumanian colors.
This method of installation for temporary
locality series has an educational advantage
over the older and more universal method of
segregated specimens, because it admits of the
specimens being compared mth those from
other localities, and also in the ease with
which it shows what proportion of a certain
species or group comes from the selected
localit^^
SCIENCE OF MAN
Dr. J. R. Walker, for many years a
physician in the United States Indian Service,
died at his home in Denver, December 13,
1926. He was a careful student of Indian
life, specializing on the Sioux Indians of
Dakota. Part of the Dakota collection in our
Plains Indian Exhibit was received from him
and a detailed study of the religious beliefs of
these Indians, entitled, "The Sun Dance and
Other Ceremonies of the Oglala Division of
the Teton Dakota," was published by the
Museum. He carried on investigations of a
physiological and medical nature among the
Indians in his charge, the results of which
were pubhshed elsewhere. He was an en-
thusiastic supporter of the Museum, and was
endowed with a lovable personality which
endeared him to all.
The Season's Arch^ological Explora-
tion in Arizona under the Ogden Mills
Survey has just been completed. FoUomng
up the work of last year in Canon del Muerto.
this season operations were expended into
the adjoining caiion, de Chelly, where rich
deposits of CUff Dweller refuse were excavated.
These deposits were near the famous White
658
NATURAL HISTORY
House cliff ruin, shown in the background
of the great Navajo group in our hall for the
Southwestern Indians. The part of the caaon
adjoining this ruin is of special interest since
the ruin itself occupies a grotto some fifty-
feet above the valley floor, with a second ruin
at the foot of the cliff directly beneath the
grotto. The two together constitute the most
spectacular aboriginal monument in the entire
de Chelly canon system, of which Canon del
Muerto is a part. The only possible rival to
the WMte House and its setting is Mummy
Cave in Cation del Muerto in which extensive
excavations were carried on last season. Mr.
Earl H. Morris was in charge of the work, as-
sisted by Mr. Erich F. Schmidt of the Museum
staff. No excavations in the upper ruin were
undertaken, attention being given wholly to
the lower one and to the large heap of refuse
on the valley floor and containing, for the most
part, pottery and other objects thrown down
from the dwelling above. The rooms of the lower
ruin were cleared. Sections of this refuse deposit
were excavated, revealing successively from the
bottom upward, the following culture periods
in the prehistory of the Southwest: Post
Basket Maker, Pre-Pueblo, and Pueblo.
Several small burial plots were found yielding
an unusual store of pottery vessels, one grave
containing nineteen vessels in all. The collec-
tions resulting from these excavations are rich
in woven objects, particularly sandals. In
addition there are many examples of cotton
cloth, cord, matting, etc. It so happened that
the refuse deposit was protected by the over-
hang of the canon wall and thus kept dry,
preserving all objects of fiber, wood, and other
perishable materials. Consequently, this
collection gives a much better picture of
prehistoric Hfe in the Southwest than do
ordinary archseological collections.
Ancient Salt Mine in vyiizDNA. — In
August of this year Mr. Warren S. Smith,
representing the Western Chemical Company
informed the Museum that an ancient salt
mine had been discovered at Camp Verde,
Arizona. This information was forwarded to
Mr. Earl H. Morris, then on his way to Canon
del Muerto Mr. Morris made a brief visit to
Camp Verde, where every courtesy was ex-
tended him by the local officials of the
Western Chemical Company. His observa-
tions revealed that in prehistoric times the
Indians of that vicinity had mined for salt in
the deposits at that place, running tunnels
underground many feet. In some of these
tunnels were evidences of prehistoric mining
operations, consisting of bark torches, worn-
out sandals, mats, and carrying devices,
together with mining tools of stone. In order
to date these salt mine operations archaeo-
logically, Mr. Morris explored several near-by
cavelike dwelHngs, from which he secured a
collection of cotton cloth, matting, sandals,
and implements similar to those found in the
tunnels. From these materials it may be
possible to fix the time of these mining opera-
tions. One unique find was an infant burial,
the body rolled in many pieces of cotton
cloth, one of which bore an elaborate em-
broidered design of unusual excellence.
APPEAL FOR BACK NUMBERS OF
"NATUR.IL HISTORY"
The Library of the American Museum re-
ceives frequent requests for complete files of
Natural History which it is no longer able
to furnish. Should any subscribers care to
donate copies of earlier issues, the gift wiU be
very much appreciated, and postage wiU be
refunded to the donor. Address the Li-
brarian, American Museum of Natural
History.
NEW MEMBERS
Since the last issue of Natural History,
the following persons have been elected mem-
bers of the American Museum, making the
total membership 9159.
Patrons
Mesdames: James H. Ottley, William I.
Walter.
Messrs: Harvey S. Ladew, John H. Phipps,
John S. Phipps, James F. Porter, William
I. Walter.
Fellows
Mrs: Samuel Richards Weed,
Mr: Frank Johnson.
Ldfe Members
Mesdames: Harriet Buck Cook, W. B.
Dickerman, Eva H. Eastman.
Doctor: Charles A. Dewey.
Messrs: George G. Barber, Otis Barton,
Russell S. Codman, F. Bayard Rives.
NOTES
059
Sustaining Members
Mesdarnes: John B. Ford, John S. Thacher.
Messrs: Gustav N. Ballin, Maurice E.
Handler, Al Heller, Robert G. Hookk,
Philip LeBoutillier, Jos. Nemerov, II. T.
Sands.
Annual Members
Mesdarnes: Dana T. Ackerly, Walter
Wood Adams, Anna M. Bendix, Mary
Nammack Boyle, G. F. Blandy, John Scott
Browning, William Morgan Groff, L.
Heilbroner, Clifford Hemphill, Charles
W. Hubbard, Ellerton James, Edith I.
Lane, Burton J. Lee, Herbert R. Mainzer,
Geo. L. McAlpin, Roswell Miller, M. J.
O'Brien, J. W. Riley, Lewis S. Rosenstiel,
William P. Shea, H. Robertson Skeel,
Walter L. Weil.
Misses: u^Illdred C. Bedell, Sarah