Almost everyone has seen the fossilized remains of prehistoric plants or animals. These might have been the skeleton of a gigantic dinosaur, the petrified trunk of an ancient tree, or the shells of snails or oysters that lived in the great seas that covered Texas millions of years ago. Each year more and more people are learning that these fossils are more than mere curiosities. Instead, they are realizing that a good collection of fossils provides much information about the early history of our earth, and that This publication is primarily an amateur collector’s handbook and as such offers many suggestions and aids to those who would pursue the hobby of Texas Fossils is not a comprehensive study of the paleontology of Texas. Rather, it deals primarily with the more common In addition, a group of selected references has been included for the reader who wishes to know more about earth history and paleontology. Many of these publications provide references of a more technical nature for the more advanced or serious collector, and some of them list excellent collecting localities. A minimum of technical terminology has been used, but terms not commonly found in dictionaries, or which have not been explained in the text, are defined in the glossary (pp. Many people have helped in the planning, preparation, and completion of Texas Fossils, and their help is gratefully acknowledged: Dr. Keith Young, The University of Texas; Dr. Harold Beaver, Baylor University; and Professor Jack Boon, Arlington State College, offered helpful suggestions and information on Special thanks are due Drs. John T. Lonsdale, L. F. Brown, Jr., and Peter U. Thanks are due also to Dr. G. A. Cooper, United States National Museum, who prepared Plate 3 especially for this publication, and to R. T. Bird and the American Museum of Natural History for photographs used in Plates 4 and 43. Plates 38 and 39 were provided through the courtesy of Dr. J. W. Dixon, Jr., and the Geology Department of Baylor University. The other photographs were prepared by the writer. To Sarah Louise Wilson, Lamar State College of Technology, the writer gratefully acknowledges her tireless and painstaking efforts in preparing the many fine drawings which make up the balance of the illustrations. |