Marsh, O C

Marsh, O(thniel) C(harles)

(born Oct. 29, 1831, Lockport, N.Y., U.S.—died March 18, 1899, New Haven, Conn.) U.S. paleontologist. He spent his entire career at Yale University (1866–99) as the first professor of vertebrate paleontology in the U.S. From 1870 he led scientific expeditions to the West; in 1871 his party discovered the first pterodactyl found in the U.S. In 1882 he was placed in charge of the U.S. Geological Survey's work in vertebrate paleontology, aggravating a fierce rivalry between him and Edward D. Cope. Credited with discovering more than 1,000 fossil vertebrates and describing at least 500 more, Marsh published major works on toothed birds, gigantic horned mammals, and North American dinosaurs. His books include Fossil Horses in America (1874) and Introduction and Succession of Vertebrate Life in America (1877).