Fossils for Sale? Read before you Flame me!

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Date
Lyall

You wrote <<which got me thinking (this is both good and constructive!)>>

I concur with both of your points. . . but you said something which we
often forget when discussing this topic. . . << stuff left eroding in the
field. >>

Ban the amateur (or commercial) from the field and "then" estimate the
number of specimens that will rot where they lay - exposed to the forces of
erosion.  Sometimes - even a cycle of seasons can damage a great specimen
and make it an ordinary one.  In one case that I know of - one rise of the
river can wash away bone that is not completely lithified (it is soluable
in water) and the specimen is destroyed forever.

And as for the commercial collectors. . . I seem to remember reading in
Jack Hornor's book, Digging Dinosaurs, that they (Jack and his frield Bob
Makela) first came across the bones of the baby _Maisaurs_ in a "Rock" shop
where they were for sale.   Go figure - no commercial collector, no bones, 
no bones, no career-making discovery for Jack!!

As for myself, I have already donated one collection of Mazon Creek, Pit 11
specimens to my university when I left there to launch out into life. . .
therefore  don't sell the amateurs short. . . like a lady once told me
"just because I have blonde hair - doesn't mean I'm stupid"!!

Roger Fry
Call me anything but don't call me late for dinner.