Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Almost 2 weeks ago I went with a small group from the rockhound club up to the Vancouver Island Paleontology Museum and the Courtenay & District Museum to see their fossils. Weather was too crummy to do an actual collecting field trip at any place! I guess it's OK to post pics here. I won't post anybody's face. The lighting and some of the display cases themselves presented problems for photography at both places, besides which it was kind of a whirlwind tour, so these shots are the best I could do. I'd say the poor lighting was the worst thing about both places, but we're dealing with small museums with small budgets here, so I figure that can be excused. First, Graham Beard gave us an informative tour of the VIPS in Qualicum Beach. It is a one-room fossil display, aimed primarily at educating the public, and Graham's tour was likewise, which suited us fine as most of the rockhounds know next to nothing about fossils. I think we all got more out of it than we would have if we'd been left to view it all on our own. He not only explained what was interesting about many of the pieces but also recounted the stories around how some of them were collected or acquired. He started at the 'types of preservation' showcase, which featured a piece from the Appian Way site up toward Campbell River which contains Eocene plants. It had been sliced and peeled to reveal fine cross-section detail of the plants. Several new species have been described from here. If you look closely at the slab leaning at an angle on the stand you can see a sheet partly peeled off: Heteromorphic ammonites from Hornby Island and V.I.: The big dark one in front, I have a piece of the same taxon from Mt Tzuhalem. Mine is missing the crook part but looks identical to the straight part. I thought it was from my mountain until Graham told me it was from up along the Inland Island Hwy near Courtenay. (Nothing to collect there now, as that was when the hwy was being built or widened). It didn't have a label and Graham couldn't remember so I'm still not sure what it's called! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Triassic fossils mainly from V.I.: Jurassic fossils from V.I. and elsewhere. Apparently the big fish in the middle is from Brazil. Anyone recognize it? (if they can see any detail - head is to the right) Paltechioceras in the back, from Memekay River up on the north Island: 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Paleozoic fossils from all over... you might recognize some: There were some pieces out of place, such as the leaf on the far left of this Paleozoic case, which is a local Cretaceous fossil. I guess this is because space is at a premium in this building, and probably the displays are always being shuffled, just like my collection here at home! Some lovely things in here... Large siphuncles from Paleozoic orthocones in the foreground. Large beautiful Receptaculites (maybe Fisherites?) on the right behind that Miguasha fish. Label said it was from Red Deer, Alberta, but I wonder if that is correct? Interesting stromatolites from Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic (right): These look familiar.... 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Though we are known for ammonites here on the Island, vertebrates were well represented too, though some were replicas: This Ice Age walrus skeleton was dug up from the tidal muck on the beach not far from the museum, and was housed here for a while, but it was later donated to the Canadian Museum of Nature. They provided the QBM with a replica of the skull: Psittacosaur from Mongolia(?) and a Pachycephalosaur skull or 'dome' (or braincase? I don't remember): Permian amphibian - I don't know where it was from. Anyone recognize it?: Permian reptile from Oklahoma. Graham described how this was not found in anything near an articulated state - the guy who donated it had sifted through the muddy matrix to find all the individual bones and then reassembled them. I think this jaw is a replica... accompanied by Hornby Island ammonites and a double concretion. These never seem to contain anything, according to Graham: 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 More ammonites and an Inoceramus from Hornby (Upper Campanian): Palm frond from Nanaimo (Campanian): Solnhofen, Germany: I'm not sure if these are all real, or some or all replicas. Certainly the first one looks artificial, unless it has just been coated with something. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Now on to the CDM in Courtenay... The building used to be the local post office. Pat Trask was away so we couldn't have a guided tour, but much of it is self-explanatory (as far as the labels went, but that was not always as far as they could go, I would say), and I could answer some questions that the rockhounds had. I should say, both of these museums have local historical artifacts on display as well, but we were limited for time and didn't bother with those areas. This is the home of the famous Elasmosaur from the Puntledge River: 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to more. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Thanks... I'm still working at it! More vertebrates. The hanging skepetons are of course replicas. Apparently the Tylosaur was purchased because the jaws on the chunk below it are possibly Tylosaur jaws instead of Mosasaur, the usual assumption. I would hope that they could spend their money on getting better displays set up for the real fossils (or acquiring more), rather than buying replicas of fossils from other places, which no doubt are expensive, but I suppose they're thinking about attracting people to the museum, and this sort of thing does that! Anyway, they did seem to have more fossils on display than they had last time I was here, so it seems they're gradually building up a great museum. (Tylosaur above, Mosasaur below, jaws on rock on floor below that) 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Cast of the 'Western Giant', the big ammonite from the BC Rockies near the Alberta border: Local crustaceans: Local ammonites: More.... the long piece in front is a coprolite, full of blue fish scales: I love all the paintings behind the cases. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 More heteromorphs (Hornby Island): Turtle from the Puntledge, very near the Elasmosaur: 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 I was surprised to see this here - the famous diorama of the Western Interior Seaway from 70mya... I thought at first they had a replica of the original, but apparently it's on loan from the Cdn Museum of Nature, and I'm not sure how long it will be, so if you're in the area and haven't seen it already, I recommend doing so asap. How many copies of this did they make, I wonder, or is it unique? Should those bivalves be crawling along in that orientation (in front of the big Placenticeras)? Somehow that looks wrong, but I don't know for sure. The info at top (pic 2) gives the wrong age of 100mya! I hadn't noticed the big ammonite shell being slowly buried in the foreground until I got home and looked at the photos: 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 More local ammonites, etc... Some ammos from all over: Part of the locally well-known Copeman collection (longtime collectors from Victoria who donated their collection to the CDM): 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Plant fossils from all over... some you will recognize: This big leaf plate is from Nanaimo like the Palm/leaves from the QBM shown above. The fern is Paleocene of Alberta: Pet. wood from all over: More crustaceans - some local, some not: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Big ammonite from the One Tree Fm (Lower Cret.), toward the north end of the Island: I recognized these two fish... They lacked locality info on the labels but I believe they are from a Triassic(?) site in the Rockies, as I saw others like them in the Cranbrook (B.C.) Museum last August. Maybe I should post the pics I got there too, in another topic. Every fossil museum has to have Dino replicas: That's all folks! I do recommend a visit to both museums, to anyone who finds themselves on Vancouver Island. They're less than an hour apart. I didn't quite show everything, and what I did show is more appreciable in person than via my shapshots. Check their websites for open times (QBM is only open Tues and Thurs afternoon in Winter), and possibly arrange a tour. www.qbmuseum.ca www.courtenaymuseum.ca 12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggycardon Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Very good looking musea with very nice collection! Thank you for sharing! Interested in all things paleontology, geology, zoology, evolution, natural history and science! Professional exotic pet keeper, huge fantasy geek, explorer of the microfossil realm, member of the BVP (Belgian Association for Paleontology), Volunteer prepper at Oertijdmuseum Boxtel. View my collection topic here: The Growing Collection of Ziggycardon My animal collection at the "Members pet" topic Ziggycardon's exploration of the microfossil realm Trips to Eben Emael (Maastrichtian of Belgium) My latest fossil hunt Next project will be a dedicated prepping space. "A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." - Tyrion Lannister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Thanks.. I wish we could have had the back room tour at the CDM (lots more fossils and minerals there), but maybe next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Amateur Paleontologist Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Impressive fossils... Thanks for the tour! Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy! Q. Where do dinosaurs study? A. At Khaan Academy!... My ResearchGate profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Wow! Some fantastic photo's my friend! The photo 6th from the bottom with 3 specimens in it really got me excited. The crab on the left is super nice even though it could use a bit of work, but the far right specimen is truly exceptional!!! Some kind of claw, (Chela with attached Carpus) is something ive not seen before? Super neato that one. thanks for all the pics. Very nice. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Thanks for the tour!! I have not (yet) been to either of those museums. I'm pretty sure the mosasaur jaws in the CDM were collected by @fossisle. BTW Tylosaurus is a type of mosasaur. The jaws certainly are mosasaur, just what genus of mosasaur may be in question, but there is no conflict between being a mosasaur and being a Tylosaurus. Also, I think the paintings with ammonites behind the fossil exhibits might have been done by Tina Beard, an excellent artist and Graham Beard's wife. Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 A nice quantity of excellent photos of a museum I'll probably never get to visit in person. So thanks for that. Love the heteromorphs and that enormous coprolite! Nice to hear they're expanding their public collection. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Awesome report! Looks like a great place to visit! Love the Eubostrychoceras elongatum. The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Thanks all. On 2/10/2020 at 7:11 AM, RJB said: Wow! Some fantastic photo's my friend! The photo 6th from the bottom with 3 specimens in it really got me excited. The crab on the left is super nice even though it could use a bit of work, but the far right specimen is truly exceptional!!! Some kind of claw, (Chela with attached Carpus) is something ive not seen before? Super neato that one. thanks for all the pics. Very nice. RB Thanks RB.. I'm not sure what that is or where it's from... it kind of jumped out at me too, It's huge! If it's #26 then the paper behind says it's "Nephropidae pincer, Upper Cretaceous". That could mean it's local. They need to improve their labels. I don't know why they can't have a label in front of each specimen with all its info (name, age, formation, location) - there is certainly enough room for it! I guess they don't want to pinpoint the location of origin otherwise people will go there and clean out the site, but they could omit the specific locality and just say "Hornby Island" or "Comox Valley" etc, and have the accurate location info on record in their back room. On 2/10/2020 at 7:46 AM, FossilDAWG said: Thanks for the tour!! I have not (yet) been to either of those museums. I'm pretty sure the mosasaur jaws in the CDM were collected by @fossisle. BTW Tylosaurus is a type of mosasaur. The jaws certainly are mosasaur, just what genus of mosasaur may be in question, but there is no conflict between being a mosasaur and being a Tylosaurus. Also, I think the paintings with ammonites behind the fossil exhibits might have been done by Tina Beard, an excellent artist and Graham Beard's wife. Don Ah, I wasn't sure of the difference between those two names. Yes, it was fossisle's find but his full name is mentioned on the paper and I wasn't sure if he has been mentioned by name here on the forum before, or whether he would want to. Similarly, you are correct that that is Tina's artwork (I've got a photocopy of the Hornby one, on my wall, but I can't seem to find the copy I thought I had of her Haslam one), but I didn't think it would be kosher to publish her drawing online so I didn't mention it. That brings up another point: I got permission to take photos, but I never asked them if it was OK to post them on the forum. I guess they can't really stop people from doing so, after they've given permission to take photos, and they might even welcome it as it might bring in more visitors, no? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson g Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 On 2/10/2020 at 2:33 AM, Wrangellian said: Though we are known for ammonites here on the Island, vertebrates were well represented too, though some were replicas: This Ice Age walrus skeleton was dug up from the tidal muck on the beach not far from the museum, and was housed here for a while, but it was later donated to the Canadian Museum of Nature. They provided the QBM with a replica of the skull: Psittacosaur from Mongolia(?) and a Pachycephalosaur skull or 'dome' (or braincase? I don't remember): Permian amphibian - I don't know where it was from. Anyone recognize it?: Permian reptile from Oklahoma. Graham described how this was not found in anything near an articulated state - the guy who donated it had sifted through the muddy matrix to find all the individual bones and then reassembled them. I think this jaw is a replica... accompanied by Hornby Island ammonites and a double concretion. These never seem to contain anything, according to Graham: I can't imagine the amount of patience that little Oklahoma reptile took to sift out piece of piece and put back together. That's simply amazing to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Those were my thoughts too, but the payoff seems worth it if you could manage the tedium! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Both of the museums are actually very nice, especially the 2nd. Nice selection of ammonites Thank you for the tour and all the pictures! On 10.02.2020 at 11:49 AM, Wrangellian said: I would hope that they could spend their money on getting better displays set up for the real fossils (or acquiring more), rather than buying replicas of fossils from other places That's what I've always said - the museum must show: 1. real fossils (maybe somewhat restored or composite, but not complete replicas) 2. specimens from the place it describes. We don't need fake skeletons of overseas species - this is not an amusement park. At least they have to be clearly marked as such and placed in separate halls. Unfortunately many museums still exhibit Cabinet of curiosities approach. My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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