Australasian Fossils: A Students' Manual of Palaeontology

Australasian Fossils: A Students' Manual of Palaeontology

Geological Department, The University, Melbourne. William Smith, the Father of English Geology, used to apologize for the study of palaeontology by claiming that the search for a fossil is at least as rational a proceeding as the pursuit of a hare. Those of us who are accustomed to take the field, armed with a hammer, in the search for medals of creation and from time to time have experienced the sporting enjoyment of bringing to light a rare or perfect specimen are quite prepared to support his claim. But the student of fossils needs the help of a text book to guide him to the literature on the subject, to help him with his identifications or to indicate that some of his finds are new and hitherto undescribed. European and American workers have long been provided with excellent books treating generally of fossils, but the illustrations have been quite naturally taken mainly from forms occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. Our own fossil forms both plants and animals are numerous, interesting and in many cases peculiar, but the literature concerning them is so widely scattered in various 14 scientific publications that a warm welcome should be given to this book of Mr. Chapmans, in which the Australian evidence is brought together and summarised by one, whose training, long experience, and personal research qualify him to undertake the task. Especially will teachers and students of Geology and Palaeontology value such an undertaking. Workers in other countries who have only partial access to the Australian literature on the subject should also find this a valuable book of reference. In the study of fossils we are concerned with the nature, evolution and distribution of the former inhabitants of the earth. The study of Palaeontology may be justified as a means of scientific discipline, for the contributions the subject makes to the increase of natural knowledge and the unfolding of panoramas of ancient life. It also provides perhaps the most positive evidence in the story of evolution. So, too, the student of the present day distribution of animals and plants finds the key to many a problem in zoo-geography in the records of past migrations yielded by the study of fossils in different lands. The stratigraphical geologist is of course principally concerned with two important aspects of the study of fossils. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 59074
Author: Chapman, Frederick
Release Date: Mar 16, 2019
Format: eBook
Language: English