Cope, Marsh, and Joseph Leidy independently discovered specimens from related species—though Cope and Marsh believed they had each discovered the same species—in the Fort Bridger area, leading to disputes over naming rights for the animals and a series of increasingly hostile letters to various scientific journals. In 1873, for example, Marsh wrote "Cope has endeavored to secure priority by sharp practice, and failed…Prof.
Cope, Marsh, and Joseph Leidy independently discovered specimens from related species—though Cope and Marsh believed they had each discovered the same species—in the Fort Bridger region, leading to disputes over naming rights for the animals and a series of increasingly hostile letters to various scientific journals. In 1873, Marsh wrote "Cope has attempted to secure priority by unscrupulous means, and failed…Prof.