GEOLOGY. 183 
specimens from one bed be kept distinct from those from another 
stratum, even if the bed be thin and the fossils in the two beds 
chiefly the same species. If there be a series of beds, one above the 
other, all containing fossils, measure the thickness roughly, draw a 
sketch-section in your note-book, apply a letter or a number to each 
bed in succession on the sketch, and label the fossils from that bed 
with the same letter or number. 
Remains of Vertebrata, especially of mammals, birds and reptiles, 
are of great interest; but it is useless to collect fragments of bones 
without terminations. Skulls are much more important than other 
bones, and even single teeth are well worth collecting. After skulls, 
vertebre are the most useful parts of the skeleton, then the limb 
bones. If complete skeletons are found, they are usually worth 
some trouble in transporting. If fossil bones are found abundantly 
in any locality, and the traveller has no sufficient means of transport, 
he will do well to carry away a few skulls, or even teeth, and care- 
fully note the locality for the benefit of future geologists and 
explorers. The soil of limestone caverns, and especially the more 
or less consolidated loam, rubble, clay, or sand beneath the flooring 
of stalagmite, if it can be examined, should always be searched for 
bones, and also for indications of man or his works. 
Fossil shells are of great value and importance. In some cases 
only casts of these can be found, but even these should be carefully col- 
lected. Ifin clay, and fragile, they should be wrapped first in tissue 
paper, then in cotton-wool, and then placed in chip-boxes or in empty 
provision-tins. The importance of fossil plants and the light which 
they may be expected to throw on climate and on the relations of the 
Antarctic to other land areas in past times have already been men- 
tioned. If impressions of leaves or of fronds of ferns are met with, 
care should be taken to obtain specimens as nearly complete as 
possible, and for this purpose slabs of considerable size may require 
to be excavated. Beds containing plant remains are often soft or 
friable, and much care is needed in digging out the specimens, in 
transporting and in packing them, as in the case of fragile shells. 
Fragments of fossil wood should be preserved, or sections of stems, if 
any be found, and remains of fruits or seeds should be especially 
looked for. 
Methods for Observing—To a person not familiar with geological 
inquiry, who has the privilege of landing on a new coast, probably 
the simplest way of setting to work is for him to imagine a great 
trench cut across the country in a straight line, and that he has to 
describe the position (that is, the direction of the “strike” and angle 
