Description
Book SynopsisA fossil, writes Jasper Burns, is first of all a thing of remarkable beauty. The sense of awe and exhilaration so many of us feel in the presence of the Ocean, or the Pyramids, or the Great Wall of China comes to me when I find a broken shell that's a million years oldNothing in nature can seem more mute than the stone impression of an organism whose kind disappeared half a billion years ago-yet almost nothing can be more eloquent if we have the ears to hear.For most of his life Jasper Burns has been hearing the message of fossils. Drawn from this extensive experience, this book is both an introduction to the hobby of fossil collecting and a unique field guide to sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. The book is beautifully illustrated with the author's drawings of more than 450 fossil specimens and the sites where they can be found. In all, Fossil Collecting in the Mid-Atlantic States describes forty-six specific sites in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Each description includes: Precise directions to the site and a description of the most productive areas The name and geologic period of the rock formations containing fossils What to look for and how to find it Special hazards or problems A complete list of fossils identified at the site Detailed illustrations of the major specimens
Trade ReviewThe definitive regional guide for amateur fossil hunters in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and parts of Delaware and Pennsylvania. -- John Goodspeed Easton Star Democrat An amateur rock sleuth for 30 years, Burns successfully conveys his love for and admiration of fossils in this book. His pencil drawings are clear, clean, and incredibly detailed. Advancing from a rock history of the Chesapeake region, the book includes specific sites for fossil hunting, tips on proper tools, and advice on identifying and displaying a collection. Chesapeake Bay Magazine Includes everything from scientific explanation of the nature of fossils and rock formations to a practical guide for finding the necessary tools, sizing up sites, identifying fossils and displaying them back home. Chesapeake Children
Table of ContentsPreface
Part I. Understanding Fossils
Part II. How to Collect Fossils
Part III. A Portfolio of Fossil-Collecting Localities
Part IV. Major Fossil Groups
Appendix: Geological Surveys in the Mid-Atlantic-Region
Annotated Bibliography
Index
