281] B. Wade 83 



preserved and abundant but in many cases have been crushed 

 by the weight of the superincumbent sediments. The proto- 

 conchs are well defined and in a perfect state of preservation 

 on many of the Gastropoda, especially such genera as Laxi- 

 spira, Volutod&rma, Paladmete, Thylacus and many others. 

 The protoconch is present and sharply differentiated in a 

 new species of Teinostama which is strikingly like the Mio- 

 cene form Teinostoma nana (Lea). The adult itself is only 

 a little more than 1 mm. in its greatest dimension, yet the 

 shell and protoconch are both brilliantly glazed and look as 

 fresh as if they were Eecent. The small and fragile Scapho- 

 pod Cadulus obnutus (Conrad) is abundant and perfectly 

 preserved. Such over-specialized and projecting shell parts 

 as the anterior calcareous tube and the fringing tubules of the 

 genus Clavagella, and the spinose and flaring outer lips of 

 such genera as Anchura, Aporrhais, Volutoderma, etc., occur 

 unbroken. Fragments of non-lignitized and non-petrified 

 wood are common arid resemble Eecent wood in state of pre- 

 servation as shown by weight, color and woody fiber. 



The occurrence of so many perfect shells in unconsoli- 

 dated sediments as old as the Cretaceous is exceedingly rare. 

 Although these fossils have retained their original charac- 

 ters and shell material many of them are soft and fragile so 

 that some care is necessary in collecting and preparing them. 

 They are easily removed from the strata with part of the 

 matrix attached. This serves to protect the specimens in 

 packing and shipping. When the collected material dries the 

 sandy matrix may be readily cleared away, leaving most of 

 the shells hard and fairly strong. The weaker specimens can 

 be made harder and sufficiently strengthened to withstand 

 handling and the effects of the atmosphere by a method of 

 preparing which is used here in the Geological Laboratory. 

 After all foreign matter has been removed from the shells 

 they are soaked about four minutes in paraffin heated to the 

 boiling point. The hot wax permeates the shell walls and 

 reinforces them. The shells are darkened slightly by the wax 

 but otherwise the method is altogether satisfactory. 



