ANIMALS OF LONG AGO 371 



should not detract from what will be discovered to be the equally 

 fascinating study of the life-forms of long ago. The ordinary 

 amateur naturalist who loves birds, beasts and flowers, and goes 

 out alone, or in company with companions like-minded with him- 

 self, to study them in their natural haunts, will be wise, in the 

 interests of his own pleasure and of knowledge generally, if he 

 carries with him a geological hammer and chisel, and gives some 

 of his attention to stone quarries, clay beds and sand-pits. Wher- 

 ever rocks are exposed they should be examined, especially if they 

 are of a sedimentary nature. Sandstones, shales, limestones and 

 chalk cliffs should be carefully worked for fossils; the alluvium of 

 ancient streams should receive particular attention. 



While rapid strides have been made in geological knowledge 

 during the last half-century, the subject has not been exhausted ; great 

 discoveries await the earnest investigator. The amateur naturalist 

 might chance to find links in the chain of ancient life equally as 

 readily as the learned specialist. Even if the remains of gigantic 

 reptiles are not found by the amateur, he cannot fail to be rewarded 

 for his efforts by the collection of scores of curious relics of by-gone 

 days ; and he will have interest and delight in finding out their 

 names, imagining the manner of their life, and arranging them in 

 their proper order and classification. Such workers are needed all 

 over the world, workers who, although they may not have time 

 and opportunity to go far afield, will thoroughly investigate the 

 deposits of their own districts. There are many books which can 

 be consulted when difficulties arise in the pursuit of investigations, 

 and experts are always willing to do what they can to help earnest 

 amateurs. 



A little boy of nine years of age known to the writer has, during 

 a few months' diligent searching, found quite a number of most 

 interesting mementoes of the past, and, as a result, takes an intelli- 

 gent interest in creatures whose fossilized remains cannot fail to 

 arrest attention. 



Belemnites — or, as they are commonly called, "Thunderbolts" 

 — may be found in some districts very commonly, and the boy in 

 question has collected quite a large number of them. Many country 

 people still believe that these are "Thunderbolts" hurled from the 

 clouds during a storm, and a good deal of persuasion is often neces- 

 sary to convince them that such is not the case, and that no such 

 thing as a "Thunderbolt" has ever been discovered I 



