Show 60 MILLION YEAR OLD FOSSILS FOUND ON DUCHESNE RIVER fo fossils collected from the bank of the duchesne river lenvi been bc an identified ni represent representing in e rp tiles of the tile eocene epoch torn flo C 0 million years ago stirn rul ropel fil climates here ind and further farther north chiq conclusion ens reach ranched by 11 II 11 II winters of the museum of paleontology university of california nt at nr keley in n letter to fiden n R en duchesne who uhn provided the specimens mr nir winters winter reported thill that most mot mo t of the boms are ot of turtle urtle shells tint hut a crocodile and a gar fish also were present these identified so for far in the study of the fossils are the fresh water turtles almyda and ech mat and the probable land turtle Il Hadr adrianus lanus almyda I 1 is the only genus still living the 9 paleontologist said mr winters said in a letter to mr wilcken having worked in florida for two years as a 8 1 paleontologist I 1 was originally original y impressed with the simi similarity arity of the duchesne river fossils to the pleistocene ice tee age a and nd m modern reptiles of florida indeed near relatives of all these forms arc are found in florida today however your collection ot of bones and teeth represents reptiles of the eocene epoch most reptiles have changed very little since that time dr C W gilmore has described the turtles in writings of the carnegie museum dr gilmore also discussed a crocodile from the uintah basin but the teeth and one bone plate you found are of a larger form A type of turtle new to your area also seems to be present in your collection of fossils mr winters requested that mr wilcken grant him permission S to retain the items tor for a longer period as the possible uniqueness of some necessitates more study the paleontologist thanked mr wilcken and levon thomas duchesne who helped collect the fossils he commended their generosity and spirit of scientific operation cooperation co |