Map, Notebook, and Pencil It is most important to have some method of recording where the fossils were found. It is very easy to forget where the material was collected, and one should _never_ rely on memory. A small pocket-sized notebook is inexpensive and just the right size to carry in the field. A highway or county map should be used to find the geographic location of each collecting locality. Maps of Texas counties can be obtained from the Texas Highway Department, File D-10, Austin 14, Texas. These maps come in three different sizes, but for most purposes the 18×25-inch sheets, with a scale of ½ inch = 1 mile, will be satisfactory. These are available for all counties and may be purchased at a nominal price. Magnifying Glass A magnifying glass or hand lens (Pl. 5) is useful for looking at small specimens and will also prove helpful in examining the finer details of larger fossils. A 10-power magnification is satisfactory for most purposes, and several inexpensive models are available. Paper or Cloth Bags Small bags are useful in separating specimens from different localities. Heavy-duty hardware bags for large rough material and medium-weight grocery bags for smaller specimens may be used. Locality data may be written directly on the bag or on a label placed inside with the fossils. As an added precaution some collectors do both. The more serious collector may want to use a cloth geological sample bag (Pl. 5). [Illustration: Plate 5 FOSSIL COLLECTING EQUIPMENT] GEOLOGIC HAMMER (Chisel end) MAGNIFYING GLASS GEOLOGIC HAMMER (Pick end) COLLECTING BAG SAMPLE SACK Other Useful Items The items described above are those that are most needed and constitute the basic equipment of the fossil hunter. The serious amateur may wish to include certain additional items which will place his collecting on a more professional basis. Some of these accessory items are: 1. A _topographic map_ of the collecting area. These are available for many parts of the State and are published and distributed at nominal cost by the United States Geological Survey, Washington, D. C., and/or Denver, Colorado. The Survey can supply an index sheet showing all such maps available for Texas. 2. A _geologic map_ of the collecting area if one is available. The list of publications of the Bureau of Economic Geology should be consulted to see if a geologic report or map of the area has been published. This list may be obtained without charge from the Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas, Austin 12, Texas.