John S. Middleton, the co-owner of the Philadelphia Phillies (a Major League Baseball team) has donated to his alma mater, Amherst College, the skeleton of a dinosaur that existed in North America during the late Jurassic period about 150 to 145 million years ago.

The Beneski Museum of Natural History , Amherst College, will feature this unique gift by Middleton.

'Dryosaurus altus', is described as an agile and speedy herbivore dinosaur, which was roughly about three feet tall and 10 feet long. It had a horny beak with teeth only at the back of its jaw to pluck and chew plants quickly and two legs that covered more than 40 miles an hour.

There are only two such Dryosaurus skeletons on display in the world. It is considered as one of the best preserved skeleton of that particular species in existence today. The other one is exhibited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburg.

In addition to his donation, Middleton has also provided funds required for its installation at the museum, which will be completed by the end of April and will be open to public, first week of May.

Currently, the skeleton is in Canada where Research Castings International is preparing it for display.

Tekla Harms, a geology professor and director of the Beneski Museum, said that this is the first dinosaur ever given to the museum.

"It's fantastic for the museum and for scholarly study," Harms said. "Paleontologists don't like to see relics auctioned and purchased by private collectors. We are thrilled that this specimen is back in the public domain."

Even though the museum is small and doesn't have enough space for more artifacts, the museum accepted this unique relic as it is very significant and meaningful.

Harms expects the museum to now attract larger crowds, researchers and scientists.

Middleton is alleged to have purchased this skeleton at an auction put up by a fossil and museum display organization - Western Paleontological Laboratories Inc., 2009.

Middleton is a 1977 graduate and currently a member of the Amherst College Board of Trustees.