The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-02-03
A STUDY OF EARLY FOSSILS.
Geological Survey Monograph on Cam
brian Brachiopods.

| oi1oh DiuNAAbFSaSs
The earliest animals on the earth were
no doubt soft creatures of simple struc-
able impressions In the mud and sands
in which they were buried. The success
sors OF these early unknown animals
acquired from generation to genera ton
protective coverings whose remains in
| the older rocks are now studied by pale
ontologists. The fossil shells of these
early invertebrates are of great i'm
portance to the geologist. for they in
dictate the geologic period in which the
beds containing them were formed. Each
rossiliferous rock bed contains charac
teristic forms or groups of for that
determine the period in which was
mud or sand. Former Director Dwell,
Of the United States geological survey
once tersely explained to congress.
sional committee the value of paleor
tology by saying that it is "the geol-
ogist's clock" by which he tells the time
when rock beds were formed. Naturally,
paleontology shows also the order OF
succession and therefore the relation of
tbt ipNh btdo Studit1i tiE EtNiNh So
The economic Importance of paleon.ol.
ogy has been repeatedly shown in this
country. In the earlier exploitation 81
anthracite coal thousands of dollars were
fruitlessly expended in New York in
search of coal beds until the New York
biologists showed that the beds in that
state could contain no coal. The fossils
in the rocks exploited are Devonian,
whereas the fossils OF the Pennsylvania
anthracite coal beds belong to the Carr
boiiferous. much later period This
discovery at once stopped useless ex-
penditure of money. The fossils of these
rocks were not of merely academic
interest, they were of immediate prac-
teal Importance. The key TO the prob
lem was found by determining the strait
graphic position, or, as ii is called, the
geologic horizon of the fossils and he
rocks.
Rock beds that were originally nearly
horizontal become in time tilted or even
overturned, so that the original rela.
ton OF the beds may be difficult TO |
determine. Furthermore, the rock beds |
at any one place do not represent a
continuous series of deposits, for as most |
beds were laid down in water and as |
sea lotion may have become land ard |
afterwara again become sea bottom, the |
story of the rocks is not everywhere /
clear. In times of doubt and perplexity |
the geoogist therefore turns to the pale
Dntologist for light on the age and orig
ina order of the beds he is studying.
The study of the animal and rlGnt
remains that are embedded in the rocks
las thus become an important part OF
geologic work, and although those who
ire engaged in this study are few ard
arc rather poorly paid for their sery-
ces. their work is of high Importance
One of the latest contributions 70 the
science of paleontology is the United
States geological surveys monograph 81,
'Cabrian Braehiopodo," by Charles d.
formerly director of the sur
rev and now secretary of the Smithso-
iian institution. The braehiopods were
ormerly classed with mollusks, but are
low grouped as molluseoids. Their shells
ire most numerous in the older rocks
which in America have yielded more
han 300 of the species described By Mr..
Nalcott.
In this work Mr.. Walcott Describes
~ species and 80 varieties of Canbrian ,
'ihNhiOfous cptNito hiu OhN 'p-
ioty of Ordovician brachiopods. The ,
consists of two volumes, one \
principally the text, the 9th I
r containing figures of fossils. The ,
ext part u covers sT2 pages and ron-
aims 76 text figures; the plates part
. comprise half-tone views of mora !
Ian 450 fossils, the entire work includ-
rg illustrations showing 53s forms. The :
FORK includes tables of synonymy and =
tatements showing the localities and
orizons at which the fossils were found. !,
he author writes; MY main purpose =
as been TO make the result of the in
estigation of value TO the student Of
fsunas and to the strati2rsph- I.
geologst." !,
The monograph is sold by the United =
tates geological survey for 81 cory. :,