Coal has been mined in several parts of Texas, and abandoned shafts or dumps are still present in some counties. The bituminous coals of Texas are predominantly Pennsylvanian in age, and mining has been carried on in the following counties: Eastland, Erath, Jack, Palo Pinto, Parker, Wise, Young. HOW TO COLLECT When a likely collecting spot has been located, the ground should be examined very carefully to see if there are any rock fragments which contain pieces of shell or the imprints of leaves or other organisms. If the fossils have been freed by weathering, they can be easily picked up and placed in the bag. Many times, however, it will be necessary to take the hammer and very carefully remove the surrounding rock. Smaller specimens may be more safely freed with the careful use of the proper size chisel by gently tapping the chisel and gradually chipping away the _matrix_—the rock that is holding the specimen. After most of the matrix has been removed, the fossil should be carefully wrapped and placed in the collecting bag. Before leaving a collecting locality, one should be sure to record its geographic location and the geologic age of the rock in which the fossils were found. The place should be located on the map and the locality entered in the notebook in such a manner that it could easily be located again for additional collecting. If a county or topographic map is available, it is wise to mark the locality on the map. The geographic and geologic data should be written on a label placed in the bag of fossils collected at that particular locality. In addition, many collectors find it helpful to write the locality on the outside of each bag of fossils. Material from separate localities should be kept in individual cloth or paper bags, and the collector should take every precaution to keep the labels with their respective fossils. Remember that _a fossil without a locality is hardly worth the paper it is wrapped in_. The collector should _always_ ask the land owner’s permission before entering or collecting on private property. One should respect all property, especially livestock and fences, and leave the area cleaner than when entered. If these precautions are observed, future collectors will probably be welcome to return for additional collecting. CLEANING AND PREPARATION OF FOSSILS It is usually necessary to do the final cleaning and preparation of fossils at home or in the laboratory, for most fossils brought in from the field require considerable preparation before they are ready for display.