356 AN ENTIRE FISH WANTED. CHAP. xxr. 



for nearly four hours, and then he left it to return 

 again on the following day. To get it out, required 

 several weeks of hammering and chiseling. He had to 

 go to the bottom of the bone to get it out. He did not 

 mind the amount of labour he gave to a fossil, provided 

 he could get it out whole. He once worked at a parti- 

 cular bone for six months. The fossil, on this occasion, 

 was a prize. It measured one foot two inches long, by 

 six inches across. 



" At the same time," he said, " I don't neglect my 

 employment. Whether I get out the bone or not, I 

 always make sure of doing my day's work first. I never 

 yet trifled a moment for anything. If I want playing 

 at fossils, I merely rob myself of my rest and sleep. 



"It is now twenty years in March last (his letter 

 was dated 7th September 1863) since I found a bone so 

 large. And not only have I got so large a bone, but 

 what is a step in advance, something new. ... I 

 have sawn the four sides of the stem, and also taken 

 four inches off the bottom thickness. It is now 

 portable. It can be lifted. Before, it could not be 

 moved without taking with you the immense rock in 

 which it was imbedded. 



" It is very odd, that in twenty years I have never 

 found an entire fish. At that time I found two of those 

 fishes, but much broken up. Hugh Miller was satisfied 

 that they were the same as he figured in his book. 

 That idea is doubted now by some London men ; and 

 here am I laughing at them and wishing that I could 

 find another fossil fish. Amen ! may it come soon." 



