Fossils

Collins New Naturalist #42

by H.H. Swinnerton

You can find fossils practically everywhere in the British Isles, and Britain's geological structure is so richly varied that in our beaches, cliffs, rocks and mud-flats are creatures and organisms of all ages, from pre-Cambrian times 500 million years ago down to the present day.The term fossil includes all organisms, or even their traces, which are permanently preserved in nature - petrified ferns and fishes of the Palaeozoic Age; bees set in a pine-tree's resin; a woolly rhinoceros, completely preserved in the frozen mud of Northern Siberia, from the furry covering of its body to the last meal taken in its stomach. There can be few things more fascinating than recognising and interpreting these relics of all stages of the world's evolution, and Professor Swinnerton has provided here an ideal handbook and guide for students of palaeontology and naturalists - or, for that matter, anyone who ever goes for a walk in the country or the sea-side.This is not merely a text-book - Professor Swinnerton is already the author of a standard work on palaeontology but in this volume he gives us a straightforward historical account of fossils; they are classified, described, explained and copiously illustrated with photographs and drawings. Starting from the earliest British fauna, he follows the evolution of plants and animals up to the appearance and culture of Homo Sapiens.At the same time, the author pays tribute to the great discoveries of the past, from Leonardo da Vinci to Cuvier and William Smith. Many of these were laymen, whom accidental finds prompted to go fishing in the Palaeozoic and Esozoic seas which form our land today.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Henry Hurd Swinnerton (1875–1966) was a British geologist, zoologist and paleontologist.

Reviews

[Christopher North]

Our daughter and Son in law have recently moved from Spain to Charmouth near Lyme Regis on the Jurassic coast of Dorset. Through reading John Fowles I was dimly aware of the quality of the coast but until late last year had never visited. After two or three walks along the beaches at low tide, my exposure to the strange world of the Jurassic had me hooked. The stones literally swarm with fossils - indeed seem paved with spiral ammonites at some places. Years ago I bought the New Naturlist book on Fossils because it was cheap at a Book Fair in Buckinghamshire. I particularly like the Englishness of the books in this series , particularly the early editions with good dust covers - very much books as objects. However, after owning it for twenty years - it 's finally been read.

H H Swinnerton is one of the great experts on England's geology and his knowledge is clearly encyclopedic - but he hasn't quite the gift of current popular science writers. There is a lot of intriguing detail and references to obsessed fossil hunters, particularly in the 19th century but it's also laden with taxonomic detail that is difficult to visualise and the references to illustrations are rather poorly organised. Overall this is rather a heavy read but if you have an obsession with fossils - thoroughly engaging.