Australasian Fossils: A Students' Manual of PalaeontologyChapman, Frederick
Science
Australasian Fossils: A Students' Manual of Palaeontology
Chapman, Frederick
Paleontology -- Australia
New South Wales, vol. III.
pt. 4, 1893, pp. 120-124, pl. XVI. (_Palorchestes_). Ibid., vol.
IV. pt. 3, 1895, pp. 118-126, pls. XI. and XII. (Monotremes).
Stirling, E. C. and Zietz, A. H. C. Mem. Roy. Soc. S. Australia,
vol. I. pt. I. 1899 (Descr. of _Diprotodon_, Manus and Pes.).
Spencer, W. B. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1900, pp. 776-794, pls. XLIX.
and L. (_Wynyardia_). Hall, T. S. Proc. R. Soc. Vict. vol.
XXIII. (N.S.), pt. II. 1911, pp. 257-265, pl. XXXVI. (Rev. of
Squalodontidae). Spencer, W. B. and Walcott, R. H. Proc. R.
Soc. Vict., vol. XXIV. (N.S.), pt. I. 1912, pp. 92-123, pls.
XXXVI.-XXIX. (_Thylacoleo_). Chapman, F. Rec. Geol. Surv. Vict.,
vol. III. pt. 2, 1912, pp. 236-238, pl. XL. (_Scaldicetus_).
Woods, J. E. T. Geol. Observations in S. Australia, 1862, pp. 329
and 330 (Human Remains): also Krefft, G. Australian Vertebrata,
Recent and Fossil, 1867, p. 91; Etheridge, R. jnr. Rec. Geol.
Surv. New South Wales, vol. III. pt. 4, 1893, pp. 128-132;
Etheridge, R. jnr. and Trickett, O. Ibid., vol. VII. pt. 4, 1904,
pp. 325-328.
APPENDIX.--ON THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF FOSSILS.
The tools and other paraphernalia necessary for fossil collecting
are fortunately within the reach of all. The principal of these is a
geological hammer, preferably with a pick at one end of the head and the
opposite end square-faced. The pick end is useful for digging out fossils
from soft clays, or for extracting a block of fossils entire. The square
end is employed for breaking up the slabs or masses containing fossils. To
get good results, much will of course depend upon one's skill in striking
the right face of a block. If bedding planes are present on the lump from
which we wish to extract our fossils, it will be well to strike at right
angles to these layers in order to split them asunder, thus exposing a
shell-layer corresponding to the original surface of the ancient sea-bed
upon which the organisms accumulated. In some cases the splitting of
fossiliferous rocks may be best carried out with the pick end, provided it
be not too sharply curved. The hammer should be faced with steel, for many
fossiliferous rocks, especially compact limestones, are apt to severely
try the temper of an ill-made tool.
A chisel, of chilled steel, should accompany the hammer, since this is
often of the greatest use in working out large fossils, more particularly
those that are buried in a cliff or quarry face. The process of extracting
difficult specimens should never be hurried, for one often gets
surprisingly good results with a little extra care.
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