74 HANDBOOK OF FOSSILS. 



days in which to become accustomed to its fresh surroundings, 

 and when the same spot has been carefully hunted over every 

 day for a week, it is astonishing what a quantity of fossils are 

 discernible where not one in the first instance was recognised. 



HOW TO PREPARE THE SPECIMENS FOR THE 

 CABINET. 



The first thing to be done on unpacking our specimens is to 

 pick out those which require the least attention, and get them 

 out of the way. These will be your rock specimens, which, if 

 they have been trimmed properly in the pit, will not need much 

 further manipulation ; a word or two, however, as to the best 

 method of proceeding when it is desirable to reduce a specimen, 

 will not be out of place. If you wish to divide it in two, or 

 detach any considerable portion, the specimen may, while held 

 in the hand, be struck a smart blow with the hammer ; as, how- 

 ever, it not frequently happens that even with the greatest care 

 the specimen under this treatment breaks in an opposite direction 

 to that required, it is advisable to adopt a somewhat surer 

 method, namely, to procure a block of tough wood, and in the 

 centre bore a hole just large enough to receive the shank of the 

 cold chisel, and thus hold it in an upright position with the 

 cutting edge uppermost ; placing the specimen on this, and then 

 hitting it immediately above with the hammer, it may be frac- 

 tured through in any required direction. To trim off a small 

 projection, hold the specimen in your hand with the corner 

 towards you and directed slightly downwards, then with the 

 edge of the striking face of the hammer hit it a smart blow at 

 the line along which you wish it to break off; the object of 

 inclining the specimen is to make sure that the blow shall fall 

 in a direction inclined away from the portion you wish to pre- 

 serve, a modus operandi which it is necessary to bear well in 

 mind if you would not spoil many a choice specimen. Anything 

 beyond very general directions, however, it is impossible to give 

 in such matters as this : experience, and a few hints from those 

 who have themselves had practice in collecting and arranging 

 specimens, are worth more than any written description, how- 

 ever lengthy and elaborate. 



Having reduced your specimen to the required size and shape, 

 the next thing to be done is to write a neat little label for it the 

 smaller the better stating, first the nature of the specimen, 

 secondly the geological fonfiation to which it belongs, thirdly 



