CD-ROM ARCHIVES- "REPORT UPON THE EXTINCT VERTEBRATA OBTAINED IN NEW MEXICO BY PARTIES OF THE EXPEDITION OF 1874," BY EDWARD D. COPE, WITH MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS

Aside from the prolific quantity of publications (in excess of 1200), Edward D. Cope published several huge monographs while engaged to the Wheeler and Hayden Surveys. Cope’s 1877 monograph (375 pages, 61 plates); scanned for this CD-ROM; was the result of his field investigations during the Wheeler Survey in New Mexico of 1874. One hundred twenty five years have passed, and now most of the great monographs are lost or relegated to rare book rooms and private collectors. This CD provides a desktop copy for those interested in researching the exciting history of vertebrate paleontology in New Mexico.

We have supplemented the historic tome with a multimedia suite of digital audio and video files that includes interviews and videos of prominent paleontologists following in Cope's footsteps in New Mexico. Williamson discusses the Cope's 1874 contributions to geologic knowledge of the San Juan Basin, the colorful fieldman David Baldwin, and personal collecting experiences in the Eocene and Paleocene in New Mexico. Tedford provides historical context of the 1874 expedition, Cope's monograph, and a sketch of the numerous subsequent AMNH researchers in the Espanola Basin. Chaney narrates video segments about the unique Jacona Microfossil Quarry. This Jacona quarry is in the area Cope prospected in 1874. Additional video footage portrays the spectacular Almagre badlands north of Nacimiento (modern Cuba), New Mexico. A period map illustrates his field route and highlights A transcription of a field letter that Cope wrote to his wife is included to provide candid incite into his thoughts on the challenges of expedition. As an addendum we included Cope’s paleontology reports as appeared in Wheeler’s 1874 and 1875 Annual Reports as well as Cope’s first catalog of New Mexico fossil vertebrates.

Cope’s Eocene and Paleocene publications of New Mexico are recognized as his greatest contributions to science. His monographs stand as veritable works of art. The 1877 New Mexico monograph is even more remarkable when one recalls that the troves of specimens were gathered in merely one three-month field season. Works such as this monograph by Cope represents a primary and awesome effort in systematic research, as well as being the foundation of vertebrate paleontology in New Mexico.