coprolite

During September and early October, BPS members had several field trips to find fossils and help excavate in the Cretaceous gullies of Dallas County.  Over a period of several days (September 19, 24, 26, October 1, 2, 3) a turtle and mosasaur were excavated.  Also, a number of other fossils were found, including shark teeth, upper and lower Xiphactinus fish jaw with teeth, a variety of shells, shark coprolite, shark vertebra, fish vertebra, and enchodus teeth.  Most of the important finds will be used in exhibits at the (now in development) Black Belt Museum in Livingston.

Each field trip is similar to a class, in that participants are taught proper collecting techniques, how to find and identify fossils, and how to excavate fragile fossils out of the ground intact and make plaster jackets.