The Fossils of Florissant

Abstract

Herbert W. Meyer, 2003, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., 258 p. (Hardcover, US $39.99) ISBN: 1-58834-107-0. Herb Meyer's book titled The Fossils of Florissant is one of those books that you can judge by its cover. The spectacular cover photo of a fossil wasp is a perfect introduction to what the rest of this book has to offer, as there are over 220 figures, mostly images of the excellently preserved fossil material found at Florissant. Meyer's book provides a nice introduction to the fossils of Florissant with its outstanding photographs and several detailed chapters describing the history of Florissant, the geological setting of this deposit, an overview of ongoing research, and details about the flora and fauna. Florissant is a well-known treasure among paleobotanists and paleoentomologists, but may not be as widely known to other researchers or the general public. A deposit known for its exceptional preservation, Florissant has often been described (somewhat inaccurately) as an “Insect Pompeii.” The fine-grained sediments of the 34-million-year-old deposit preserve a very diverse flora and fauna (approximately 1700 described species thus far) and include many rare and delicate taxa (including butterflies and flowers). Everything from giant petrified redwoods to small insects and tiny freshwater diatoms can be found at Florissant. Meyer starts his book with an introductory chapter and his second chapter provides the reader with an overview of the history of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, starting with early tourism in the area. He describes the destruction of several petrified stumps and the loss of vast quantities of fossil material to casual collectors. He then discusses the more well known researchers who have worked at Florissant, including S.H. Scudder, L. Lesquereux, T.D.A. Cockerell, and H.D. MacGinitie (who was Meyer's mentor). The contributions of these early workers to …