The literature pertaining to fossils is widely scattered and usually too
technical for the layman. It is better to use the resources of the
nearest library than to feel that a specified list of books is
necessary.
Any textbook on geology, zoology, or botany will provide helpful
information. Most books of this type will be found interesting and
readable if used to solve definite problems suggested by the student’s
immediate curiosity. Very few can be read from beginning to end without
a great deal of effort and discouragement.
The following have been prominent among the books consulted by the
author:
_Textbook of Geology_; by Pirsson and Schuchert. This work has undergone
several revisions and currently appears in two volumes: _Physical
Geology_ by Longwell, Knopf, and Flint; _Historical Geology_ by C. O.
Dunbar. Published by John Wiley & Sons. (Historical geology covers the
entire range of prehistoric life—plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate.)
_Historical Geology_ (The Geologic History of North America); by Russell
C. Hussey. Published by McGraw-Hill. Concise, interesting, and
informative.
_Geology and Natural Resources of Colorado_; by R. D. George. Published
by the University of Colorado. Contains an excellent summary of the
historical geology and sedimentary formations of Colorado.
_Vertebrate Paleontology_; by Alfred Sherwood Romer. Published by the
University of Chicago Press. This is one of the most comprehensive and
up-to-date treatments of the subject for students desiring to go beyond
the elementary stage.
_A History of Land Mammals in the Western Hemisphere_; by William
Berryman Scott. Published by The Macmillan Company. This well-known
account of living and extinct mammals is one of the favorites among
students.
_The Age of Mammals_; by Henry Fairfield Osborn. A classic in this field
of literature, but for advanced reading. The book is now out of print.
_The Dinosaur Book_; by Edwin H. Colbert. Published by the American
Museum of Natural History, New York. An illustrated story of amphibian
and reptilian evolution.
_Down to Earth_; by Carey Croneis and William C. Krumbein. Published by
the University of Chicago Press. An excellent popularization of the
earth sciences—geology and paleontology.
_Lexicon of Geologic Names of the United States_; compiled by M. Grace
Wilmarth. Bulletin 896 (in two parts) of the United States Geological
Survey. A rich source of information concerning the age, character, and
distribution of geologic formations, with numerous references to
fossil-bearing beds.
_Bibliography of North American Geology_ (including paleontology);
various bulletins of the United States Geological Survey. Where library
facilities provide access to the technical literature of museums,
universities, and scientific societies, this is a valuable aid in
locating publications dealing with original work in paleontology.
Bulletins 746 and 747 cover the years between 1785 and 1918; Bul. 823
(1918-1928); Bul. 937 (1929-1939); Bul. 938 (1940-1941); Bul. 949
(1942-1943); Bul. 952 (1944-1945); Bul. 958 (1940-1947); Bul. 968
(1948); Bul 977 (1949). Preparation is a continuous process with recent
bulletins appearing at one or two year intervals.
_Ancient Man in North America and Prehistoric Indians of the Southwest_;
by H. M. Wormington. Published by Denver Museum of Natural History, City
Park, Denver 6, Colorado. Both volumes contain authentic and up-to-date
accounts of early American cultures.