$6 INVERTEBRATE PALAEONTOLOGY 



that should not be lightly taken. A pair of blunt 

 pliers are the safest means for reducing the matrix, 

 although they are only effective on thin edges. If 

 hammering is necessary, it should be applied lightly. 

 A small hammer, with which a rapid succession of 

 taps is given, proves less dangerous than a heavy one. 

 The block should, when possible, be held in the hand 

 during trimming, so that vibrations may be absorbed. 

 If it is too large to hold, a tuft of grass or moss gives 

 a safer foundation than hard rock. Never try to chip 

 off large pieces at a time. 



If a crack appears in the fossil, in spite of precautions, 

 three courses are available. Unless the block is still 

 too large to carry, stop. It may be possible to continue 

 its reduction safely at home or in the laboratory. If 

 the mass is large, it is best to give a sharp blow that 

 splits the specimen in half. Each segment can then 

 be trimmed separately (care being taken to avoid 

 alteration of the accidental fracture), and glue will 

 subsequently minimize the effects of the disaster. 

 Thirdly, throw away the specimen and look for another. 

 This confession of failure should be made only if the 

 specimen has crumbled, or if there are plenty more of 

 the same kind in the same layer. So long as a fossil 

 is recognizable, it retains some value even in ruin. 



(V) FIELD LABELLING AND PACKING 



It cannot be too strongly urged that a fossil-collector, 

 in common with other scientific workers, should proceed 

 at every stage as though the sword of Damocles were 

 suspended above him. This does not imply that there 

 is anything intrinsically dangerous or fatal in the work. 

 But even though bodily dissolution may be far distant, 

 mental failure is an ever-present danger. Never trust 



