108 



7. Labels. Blank paper for labels should always be at 

 hand. It is desirable to have the field labels cut to uniform 

 size. 



8. Wrapping Paper and Twine. A good supply of these 

 most necessary articles should be taken. This should com- 

 prise tissue paper, newspapers, and strong brown paper, 

 such as can be obtained at any country grocery store. The 

 twine should be strong, but not too thick. 



9. Boxes. A number of cigar boxes, tin tobacco boxes, 

 and small spool, pill or other paper boxes should be taken 

 for the more delicate fossils. 



10. Cotton Batting. A supply of this article for use with 

 the boxes is necessary. 



Field Work. The rock from which fossils are to be col- 

 lected in this region are shales and limestones. The former, 

 when calcareous, are usually rich in fossils; but when 

 bituminous or gritty, fossils are usually scarce. The lime- 

 stones are often made up of fragments of fossils, but the 

 variety is commonly not very great. 



Colin-ting from the Shales. It is next to useless to attack 

 a vertical shale bank, as it is difficult to extract the fossils 

 entire, even if they are exposed. A better plan is to follow 

 down the stream bed, and pry up the layers, in descending 

 order. If this is impracticable, the bank has to be attacked 

 as best may be. Joint cracks will assist in prying out large 

 masses, which may then be split up. In prying out such 

 masses, however, care must be taken that the overlying beds 

 are not too much disturbed, as dangerous falls of rock from 

 above may result. This caution is especially necessarv 

 where the fissile bituminous shales (Genesee and Black 

 Naples) are undermined. In such cases it is prudent to pry 

 out the piece quickly and cautiously, and then take it to a 

 place of safety, where it can be split up. The shales are most 

 easily split up while still wet. After they have dried in the 

 sun they become very brittle, and it is difficult to get perfect 

 specimens from them. The shale mass is to be split, first, 



