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Castle Valley Vol. No. 3 |
Utah
Friends of Paleontology P. O. Box 5984 CEU Campus Price, Utah 84501 |
Byron Ray : President Joan Taylor: Secretary Jim Huffaker: Treasurer Clark Warren: Historian |
AND: Many willing volunteers who help make this chapter the greatest by arranging for speakers, field trips, bringing refreshments to meetings and, in general, keeping the organization going.
Contents
(Click
one for more information)
March UFOP Meeting Scheduled for 10 March
Our March meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 10. Our guest speaker will be Steven Prince who will talk to us about the gas drilling activity in the local area and how the companies work to protect both paleontological and archaeological resources. Mr. Prince is the Executive Director of the Castle Valley Gas Producers Council In addition to his presentation, he will respond to questions from the group.
Our treasurer, Jim Huffaker has received payment for annual dues from many of the chapter members, but there are still a number who need to renew their membership. We would again encourage you to find your check book and send a check to cover the cost of your 1998 dues to the chapter treasurer, Jim Huffaker. Dues can be sent to Jim at: PO Box 5984 CEU Campus, Price, Utah 84501.
NOTE: We have kept everyone on the mailing list up to this date, but members who do not pay their dues this month will have to be dropped from the mailing list. Don=t let this happen to you!
Dues should be sent in the amount of:
FAMILY MEMBERSHIP $20
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP $15
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP $10
Thank You !
The following information appeared in an article by Mariette DiChristina in the Science and Technology section of the March, 1998 Popular Science magazine: Before Birds had Wings. Biologists now have evidence that birds did not descend from dinosaurs after all: The embryos of modern birds and reptiles show that their Afingers@ evolved differently.
Ann C. Burke, a specialist in the development of organisms, and
Alan Feduccia, a leading critic of the dinosaurian bird theory, both of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, analyzed photos of bird and reptile embryos as they developed. Reptile forelimbs had three digits -- corresponding to the thumb, index finger, and middle finger of the human hand. Bird wings, in comparison, were developed from digits that match the human index, middle, and ring fingers.
In the contentious world of dinosaur research, the finding has not gone unchallenged: paleontologists Jacques A Gauthier, of Yale, and Mark Norell, of the American Museum of Natural History in New York, City, are already making counter-arguments.
What do you think about the relationship between birds and dinosaurs? Are (or were) they related? What evidence do we have that would dispute this research? Drop us a note and let us know what you think.
This year, Pre-history week will last ten days and each day will be filled with educational and exciting activities. The week will begin on Friday, May First, with the 5th annual Dino Feast. If you have been to a Dino Feast before, you know what a great evening it is, and we will see you there. If you have not attended, try it out this year and you will be hooked.
The next nine days will be filled with field trips, tours of local sites, lectures on archaeology and paleontology and special family activities. Reenactments of outlaw escapades, street dances and street entertainers will add to the fun. The last day will be an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social in conjunction with an essay contest to finish up the festivities on Sunday, May 10.
Watch for the newsletter next month for a complete list of the activities, and plan to enjoy the week.
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists will be holding their 58th annual meeting at Snowbird Resort on September 30 - October 3, 1998. These meetings provide an opportunity to hear some of the most current work that is being done in the area of vertebrate paleontology, and to meet with the people who are at the cutting edge in this field.
This annual meeting is being sponsored by the Utah Geological Survey and the Utah Friends of Paleontology. Our own Clark Warren is a member of the planning committee representing UFOP.
Information is not yet complete on workshop sessions and registration fees, but we will give you more information in the future as it becomes available. If you have questions about the meetings, Clark would be willing to answer them for you. He can be reached at 435.637.0312.
You can also contact the Society business office with questions. They are at: 401 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611 - 4267
Tel. 312.321.3708
Fax. 312.321.3700
E-mail. Svp@sba.com
National
Volunteer Week:
April 19 - 25
National Volunteer Week is the week of April 19 - 25. This is a time to promote volunteer work and to recognize the special efforts of volunteers who provide so much time and effort to making things happen.
There will be a special open house held on April 25th at the CEU Museum to recognize the museum volunteers and to encourage others to share of their time and talents. Plan to attend and to be a part of the volunteer scene.
Don Burge=s Vertebrate Paleontology class went on a field trip on Saturday, February 28th. The day was beautiful with lots of blue skies and sunshine. It was a cold, but beautiful day. There were several students from the class along with some UFOP members.
Our first stop was near the animal shelter south of Price where we stopped to view some of the Cretaceous marine fossils found in the Mancos formation. Some shark teeth were also found in the ant hills on the hillside. The next stop was to view the Ferron Sandstone member of the Mancos with it=s characteristic Acannon ball@ concretions.
Time was spent at the Cleveland Lloyd Quarry where the visitor center exhibits were explained and discussed. Looking through the two sheds at the quarry gave the tour participants a sense of the history of the quarry and an idea of how much material has been taken from the quarry to add to the world=s knowledge of dinosaurs.
After a cool lunch in the shelter of the big boulders at the quarry, we visited the A66 site@ and then the A23 site@ where UFOP member and CEU Museum curator Duane Taylor found a large Allosaurus tooth. Although it was in fragments, it was carefully wrapped to be taken back to the museum for safekeeping and study.
The tour continued out to Buckhorn Flat and to the petroglyph / pictograph panel where we enjoyed the primitive artwork. On the way to the panel, we stopped at the dinosaur trackway in the Navajo Sandstone formation for a view.
A few minutes were spent searching for marine fossils in the Carmel formation on the way back home. Several other stops were made throughout the day where Don enlightened and entertained us with his knowledge of the area. The geology and beauty of the of the canyon and the beauty of the rock art added to the conversations made it a day to remember.
One often heard comment that may best summarize the day was: AIsn=t it nice to be out when there are no bugs to bite or to fly in your ears and eyes?@
The January and February Newsletters had some questions for the kids. To our knowledge, there have been no responses to the questions. What conclusions should we draw from that? Perhaps no children read the Newsletter. Maybe no one reads the Newsletter. Maybe nobody knows the answers. Maybe nobody really cares. Maybe you would rather read something else. Whatever the reason, feel free to drop us a note and let us know what you want to see in your Newsletter. We would like to know how we can meet your expectations.
In the Newsletter next month, we will have a listing of some times for upcoming field trips and digs. Although these trips are weather dependent, it might assist you in planning your spring and summer schedules.
Also, be aware that the lab is open every Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. You are invited to come help prepare some of the bones recovered from previous digs. Call John Bird at the lab tel.435.637.2120 ext. 5645 for further information, or to let him know you are coming.
