Any Recommendations For What To Read For Fossil Id And Rocks?

[Sydneylh]

Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I can read to learn more about fossil identification (what to look for, what not to look for) and also about different rock identification and how they are formed? I am slightly new to all this and am wanting to improve my knowledge a bit. I just don't have any clue where to start. Questions I ask myself a lot are, "how can I tell if I'm holding a fossilized coral of some type and not just a rock that resembles one?"

Thanks!

[JimB88]

I recommend the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fossils...a great guide for beginners.

[Sydneylh]

I recommend the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fossils...a great guide for beginners.

GREAT! I'll check it out! Thank you for the help!

[DeepTimeIsotopes]

They also have one for minerals and rocks called the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals. They were quite original in naming these books.

[Raggedy Man]

I have both and have been VERY helpful in the field. Another great resource is TFF. There are many many many files available here and never forget that just reading the past posts can also help too!

The last suggestion is finding others that live close to you from TFF. There are many people who love meeting and hunting with forum members. I myself have plans in the early stages to meet a few this summer and I'm extremely excited about it. Happy trails.

Best regards,

Paul

[Auspex]

North America Through Time: A Paleontolgical History of our Continent, by Lynne Clos

LINK

Not a field guide to fossils, but a wonderful primer on the geology, fossils, and paleoenvironments of North America, from beginning to present. I cannot recommend it highly enough; the understanding it imparts is invaluable to any fossil collector.

[ZiggieCie]

I second those choices as good and informative sources without being over technical.

[Fossil Claw]

Join a local fossil club like the dry dredgers.

Plenty of nice people willing to help beginners to I'd items.

Added plus of lectures and fossil hunts.

[Herb]

The Gutenburg Project site has some older paleo texts you can download for free, And many state Geological Survey sites have downloadable books.

3 I can think of off hand is the Ohio Paleontology, KY Paleontology, Paleo of NJ. All are older books but a lot of free info. most about 4oo pages long.

[Ptychodus04]

Index Fossils of North America, Shimer and Shrock 1972

It's a bit pricy at $100+ but it is one of the best all around identification publications I have ever used.