Chapter I: Preface

My Story, “The Life of a Fossil Hunter,” published by Henry Holt & Co., New York, 1909, met with such a splendid reception that I am tempted to write a second volume, especially as I have since that publication with my three sons met with the most wonderful success among the dinosaurs of the Red Deer river, Alberta, Canada. Since 1912 we have been in the employment of the Geological Survey of Canada, collecting five car loads of the ancient inhabitants of Alberta. We have found many new genera of the duck-billed dinosaurs, those wonderful swimmers of the old lakes and bayous of the Cretaceous period, three new genera of horned dinosaurs, learning more about them than was ever known before, finding that instead of being covered with bony plates as has been supposed they had thin skins with small scales like mosaic-work; then, stranger still, the huge plated dinosaurs completely enveloped in an armor of bony plates, some large, and others small like chained armor, allowing motion to the body. In fact, we are building up a great exhibit of these strange creatures of the past. I propose to write in the same strain as in my other book, but will take my readers to entirely new scenes; to the richest Cretaceous fossil field in the world; will tell of our adventures and strenuous labor in the great gorge of the Red Deer river, 500 feet deep, and many miles in length; of the entire process of collecting, learned by experience through so many years of ceaseless effort; also the work of preparation in our laboratory. In 1917 it will be fifty years since I began collecting fossils, the rich results of the past few years are due to the splendid work done by my three sons of whom I am justly proud, and the assistance rendered me by the Geological Survey who have honored every requisition I have made upon them and the results have been far beyond my wildest dreams. No other Museum in the world, except the American in New York, can show such collections as we have made in the last few years. I would like to tell you the whole story. Those of you who have read my other volume and have sent me notes of appreciation I would like to tell you of how much assistance they have been to me, giving me fresh courage when I have been nearly discouraged. I will illustrate the new book with fifty original photographs showing the fossil beds, the skeletons, or huge heads in the rock, the manner of collecting, the work of preparation in the laboratory, and the finished specimen ready for exhibition. We have already mounted the first duck-billed dinosaur in Canada, it is thirty-two feet long. We secured eight skeletons of a new form with a hooded head.

Faithfully yours,
CHARLES H. STERNBERG.
_Lawrence, Kansas._

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to acknowledge the great kindness of Dr. L. Hussakof, at that time Curator of Reptiles in the American Museum of Natural History, New York for reading and correcting the first ten chapters of this book, and for his many kind words and deeds. When I offered to pay for the trouble he wrote me “all the pleasure of being helpful in an unselfish way would be gone if I received pay.” Dr. W. D. Matthews, Curator of Vertebrates in the same Museum also encouraged me greatly by hoping I would publish my ideal picture of “Ancient Giants” after reading the chapter I sent him under that title. All the rest I am responsible for, as I have had no assistance, and if I have published any thing that does not please my reader I hope they will overlook it.

How can I thank the Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, and Deputy Minister, Mr. R. G. McConnell, who has allowed me to use the photographs taken by my sons George and Charlie, to illustrate my pages. The text would have been dull indeed without them. Neither can I express my thanks for his unfailing kindness to me while I was under his authority as a member of the Survey. All the photographs (except the Front Piece Figures 1, 2, and 3, which were sent to me by my old friend, Dr. Osborn, President of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. The picture of a _Portheus_, from the London Illustrated News, the Figure of a _Tylosaur_ by my son George F. Sternberg. The restoration of _Diplodocus carnegii_ by Mr. C. W. Gilmore of the U. S. National Museum, and the figures 43, 44, and 45 taken last year by my son Levi) belong to the Survey. Mr. Clark in charge of the Division of Photography developed the photographs, and the Terre Haute Engraving Co. made the halftones. Neither can I forget the unvarying kindness of the former Deputy Minister, Dr. R. W. Brock who first employed me. For the great assistance he rendered me in field and shop. For his earnest assistance to help me build up a great collection of the Extinct Animals of Canada, at the Victoria Memorial Museum at Ottawa, Ontario. I hope these gentlemen and all others who have helped me to that end, will feel themselves included in this letter of thanks.

Faithfully yours,
CHARLES H. STERNBERG.

CONTENTS

I. STORY OF A MONSTER FISH 1

II. THE TEEMING EAST 16

III. IN THE EDMONTON BEDS OF THE CRETACEOUS 33

IV. WE EXPLORE DEAD LODGE CANYON 49

V. HUNTING HORNED DINOSAURS 78

VI. PLATED DINOSAURS 90

VII. THE GREAT SPIKED DINOSAUR 101

VIII. A TRIP TO THE JUDITH RIVER 110

IX. ANOTHER STRANGE DINOSAUR 120

X. IN THE MILK RIVER COUNTRY 127

XI. THERE WERE GIANTS IN THOSE DAYS 134

XII. WHAT THE CRETACEOUS SEAS BROUGHT FORTH 156

XIII. THE WONDERS OF THE PERMIAN 180

XIV. CONCLUSION 200

INDEX 225

ILLUSTRATIONS

_Front._ Ideal Picture of Belly River Series Time by Deckert, of the
American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Fig. 1. “Dinosaur Mummy” found by George
F. Sternberg 4

Fig. 2. “Here the skin is preserved with its complex
arrangement of minute scales” 5

Fig. 3. In 1909 Charles M. Sternberg discovered
this magnificent Triceratops 8

Fig. 4. Portheus molossus, Cope 9

Fig. 5. Another skeleton George found, to add to
the trophies of his hunt 9

Fig. 6. Mr. C. W. Gilmore’s wax figure of his
ideal _Diplodocus carnegii_ 20

Fig. 7. A huge _Titanotherium_ 21

Fig. 8. _Trachodon annectens_, Marsh 26

Fig. 9. Traveling on Red Deer River, Alberta 27

Fig. 10. Steveville at the mouth of Berry Creek,
Alberta 48

Fig. 11. Charlie’s carnivore as he found it 49

Fig. 12. Preparing Charlie’s Carnivore 52

Fig. 13. Loading Carnivore with triplex tackle 53

Fig. 14. Quarry after Carnivore was removed 56

Fig. 15. Sternberg’s camp three miles below Steveville,
Alberta 57

Fig. 16. Skeleton of Lambe’s _Stephanosaurus_ 66

Fig. 17. Sections of _Stephanosaurus_ skeleton 67

Fig. 18. “I climbed the rugged buttes and ridges” 70

Fig. 19. Pillars cut from the solid rock 71

Fig. 20. Outlying Butte over 300 feet high 76

Fig. 21. Levi founded a crested dinosaur 77

Fig. 22. Excavation after taking out Charlie’s
_Stephanosaurus_ 82

Fig. 23. Charlie’s new _Trachodon_ 83

Fig. 24. Prepared skull of _Gryposaurus_, Lambe,
_Kritosaurus_, Brown 88

Fig. 25. The strata of clay thins out to nothing 89

Fig. 26. Discovery of George’s _Chasmosaurus_,
(_Ceratops_) 94

Fig. 27. George’s _Chasmosaurus_, lying in quarry 95

Fig. 28. Levi wrapping _Chasmosaurus_ 100

Fig. 29. _Chasmosaurus_ Quarry 101

Fig. 30. George preparing his _Chasmosaurus_ 104

Fig. 31. Skull of _Chasmosaurus_ restored by Weber 105

Fig. 32. Sternberg’s camp three miles below “Happy
Jack Ferry” 108

Fig. 33. _Styracosaurus_ in the bottom of gorge 109

Fig. 34. Top view of _Styracosaurus_, prepared by C.
H. Sternberg 112

Fig. 35. Charlie’s _Centrosaurus_ in the rock 113

Fig. 36. Putting Irons on crest of _Centrosaurus_ 120

Fig. 37. George at work on C. H. Sternberg’s
_Centrosaurus_, (_Monoclonius_) 121

Fig. 38. _Centrosaurus_, discovered by Charles H.
Sternberg 130

Fig. 39. Limb of _Gorgosaurus_, mounted by C. M.
Sternberg 131

Fig. 40. Quarry of George’s Plated Dinosaur 140

Fig. 41. Packing up a Loveland Ferry 1915 141

Fig. 42. Badlands of the Red Deer River below
Steveville 150

Fig. 43. Badlands near Steveville. Photograph by
Levi Sternberg 151

Fig. 44. Badlands near Steveville. Notice cross
bedding 160

Fig. 45. Quarry with skeleton of _Corythosaurus_
lost at sea 1916 161

Fig. 46. Charlie letting his plated dinosaur down
150 feet 170

Fig. 47. Hauling out fossil 171

Fig. 48. Urn-like Mass of Rock 180

Fig. 49. Egyptian Sphynx-like rock 181

Fig. 50. Dog Cr. Montana. Notice effects of vulcanism 190

Fig. 51. Badlands near Cow Island, Montana 191

Fig. 52. Badlands of the Missouri River 200