Leidy, Joseph; Contributions to the Extinct Vertebrate Fauna of the Western Territories. Vol. 1 of Report on the U. S, Geological Survey of the Territories, F.V. Hayden in charge. Washington, 1873. Quarto, pp. 358 and 37 plates.

The volume is complete and in the original presentation half calf and linen with marbled end sheets, marbled text block edges, raised spine bands and gilt titles. Minor scuffing to board edges, light toning to upper part of blank end sheets. The text and plates are very clean. In very good copy.

Leidy's above work on the Western Territories was the first monograph in the series of reports by the Hayden survey. Prior to this publication the larger works had appeared in the Academy of Natural Sciences publications. This was the first systematic and accurate compilation of all of the data on the remarkable finds of vertebrate fossils coming out of the western United States as part of the Hayden Surveys. This was also to be one of his last works in vertebrate paleontology. Disgusted by the ongoing feud between Marsh and Cope and unable to compete with limited funds, Leidy abandoned the tudy of vertbrate paleontology.