BIOLOGY AND HUMAN WELFARE 



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Foraminifera were brought to the surface with the drilling, and the 

 problem was to determine whether the species found in material, 

 from relatively near the surface in drills that proved to be oil- 

 bearing, could be distinguished from those from dry drills. Accord- 

 ingly the companies turned to the United States National Museum 



JU-H- 



Fig. 244. — Shells of several species of Foraminifera, considerably magnified. 

 1, Cyclammina pauciloculata, two views; 2, Globotextularia anceps; 3, Margin- 

 ulina ensis; 4, Vagulina spinigera; 5, Nodosaria filiformis; 6, Rhabdammina 

 abyssorum; 7, Chilostomella grandis. 



which has made a practice of gathering and preserving samples of 

 microscopic life from all parts of the world: material which the 

 layman would undoubtedly regard as refuse and throw away. 

 Thanks to a lifetime spent in studying Foraminifera, one expert 

 was able to make the necessary determination, and his knowledge 

 when applied in the oil fields resulted in saving the industry many 

 millions of dollars. Whereas the small governmental appropriations 



