Pony Express 8.2

Florida Fossil horse Newsletter

Volume 8, Number 2, 2nd Half 1999

What's Inside?

The 1999Pony Express Western Adventure

Refelections about the 1999 Thomas Farm Digs

The Future of Pony Express: Education Initiative

Pony Express Scholarship Recipients

Family Day At Thomas Farm"

Book Review

Y2K Pony Express Adventures and Other Museum Events!

The 1999Pony Express Western Adventure

The 1999 Nebraska crew from left to right - Standing: Marcia Wright, Reed Toomey, Sue Hutchens, Steve Hutchens, Melissa Cole, Barbara Toomey, Tom Ahern, Jewel Pozefsky, Bruce MacFadden, Pat Ward, Larry Ward, Robyn Miller, (seated) Brian Ahern, Jim Toomey, Bob Simons, Nancy Rembert,and Erika Simons. Stephen North photo.

Our second Western Adventure in Nebraska was another resounding success. We had a very enthusiastic group of both old friends and new. Everybody hit it off splendidly on that first night when we gathered in Rapid City.

On Saturday, after a morning of leisure on our own, we visited the South Dakota School of Mines Museum of Geology to acquaint our new participants with the fossil mammals that we would encounter in Nebraska. Then we headed for Nebraska to settle at Ft. Robinson, which was to be our home for the next six days. With the help of our new walky-talkies, we could communicate between cars in case of road emergencies and discuss some of the geological features we passed along the way. Once settled at Ft. Rob., we explored our new surroundings looked forward to our first day in the field.

Our first excursion was to Toadstool State Park, famous for its sandstone channel deposits that feature the fossilized footprints of rhinos, giant pigs and birds. It's prominent features are the toadstool formations that result from the unequal erosion of deposits of varying hardness, such that the more resistant sandstone channel deposits sit balanced atop pedestals of the softer deposits, giving the appearance of toadstools. After a short lecture by Bruce on the local geology we set off on a self-guided trail through the park. Doug Jones, Director of the Florida Museum of Natural History and his family joined us in our exploration for footprints in the ancient sands. This was our first hike in this dry, hot, mid-western weather and for some of us it was a tad too long. Midway through what was later dubbed the 'MacFadden Death March', some of us turned back and let the tough folks carry on. Once the whole group was back at the cars, we all dove for new bottles of cold water, a refreshing lunch, and went on to our afternoon dig. Die-hards?...you bet!...At 4:00 p.m. nobody was ready to quit, but somehow our exhaustion caught up with us and we all slept well that night.

Bruce MacFadden (left) points out a "toadstool", a principal geologogical feature of Toadstool State Park, NE. Erika Simons photo.

During each of the next four days, we met at Barbara and Reed Toomey's after breakfast and went from there to our dig site for the day. The Toomeys outdid themselves, with their most gracious hospitality. At lunchtime they greeted us with cold washcloths to cool our sweaty brows and clean our grubby hands. Tom Ahern, who took his chuck wagon duties very seriously, always stopped digging early to set up the lunch table which was always supplemented with wonderful treats made by Barbara. Steve and Sue Hutchens, with their extensive knowledge of the local fossils stayed out with us and assisted us with collecting, identifications and field procedures. Many times they helped us find our fossils. One afternoon, we were called in early to wait out a passing thunderstorm. Fossiling in the badlands after a rain was quite an experience. Aside from the fossils, we brought back 10 lbs. of mud on our shoes!

Our avid diggers were treated to many meals provided by the Toomeys and other generous hosts. On Tuesday, Reed and Barbara took us to a newly opened "Cookshack" for a special mid-western dinner and a chance to socialize with the local ranch families. The "Cookshack" is a family owned bed and breakfast set in the middle of the badlands. All meals are homecooked and delicious! The dining room was filled with laughter and lots of attention from the hosts. On Wednesday afternoon we had free time back at Fort Robinson. Some of the die-hards took a road trip to Agate Fossil Beds, and used a geological guidebook to identify the local sediments along the way. That evening we were graciously invited to Albert and Helen Cozzini's vacation home in Crawford to eat a delicious lasagna dinner.

On Thursday we tried a new routine to our day's schedule. After lunch, Bruce sent everybody out with strict instructions to be back at 4:00 p.m. Our crew objected that every day we had to quit just when the intense heat abated and the light became less harsh. We whined and cajoled to change his mind. Poor Bruce tried valiantly to resist, but finally gave in and allowed us to stay out until 8 p.m.! That long day should have cured anybody of the urge to toil in the desert heat all day. The next morning at the breakfast table, we had some tired diggers. Even Jewel Pozefsky was slow to perk up.

On Friday we went to collect on some government lands under the Museum's collecting permit. This was the same site that Bruce and Doug Jones had explored last year with the Toomeys and Hutchens and where Steve Hutchens had discovered the giant pig skull and jaws which are now on display at our new Skeletons in Our Closet Exhibit at Powell Hall. The trip there took us through some steep washed out dirt roads that were hardly meant for low slung minivans and sedans. As long as the ground was dry we were able to carefully maneuver around the old ruts. The Toomey's Ford Explorer led most of the way, followed by the Hutchens truck, Bob Simons' rental car and finally Bruce's and Tom Ahern's vans. We looked like 5 little dirt devils playing across the prairies and the badlands. As we drove on we kept a close watch on a storm cloud that was forming on the horizon. We would need at least 2 hours to get out before the storm hit or we would be hopelessly trapped out there in the badlands until the ground dried out enough to drive out.

Larry Ward hardens a carnivore skull with Butvar, an Acetone soluable glue, before removing it in a protective plaster jacket.
Erika Simons photo.

After a brief orientation about this new place, we set out to find fossil treasures. This is where Larry Ward hit the jackpot! We had not searched long before Bruce yelled out "Hey, everybody, come look at what Larry found!" We all gathered around Larry and spied a beautifully preserved skull and jaws of a dog-like creature. Before Larry could begin the arduous task of removing it from its ancient bed, he had to endure a mob of photographers who wanted to immortalize him and his fabulous discovery. Among other things we were able to collect some microfossils from 2 rather rich anthills without disturbing the inhabitants. The mounds were hard at the surface and it was easy to gently scrape the fossil rich outer layer into our bags. At 2:00 p.m. the cloud loomed over us and we called it quits. Pat and Larry had safely collected their prize cat and we high tailed it out of there...well like a herd of turtles or in the words of our illustrious leader, a "turd of hurtles", for that was as fast as we could go with our very obliging NATV's (Not-All-Terrain- Vehicles). On our way back, we visited the Hudson-Meng Bison kill site. We just barely made it into the covered shelter over the site before the storm hit. I was actually pelted with some marble sized hail before I reached the safety of the shelter. We enjoyed the relative cool of the building as we watched archaeologists at work, carefully excavating around the bones, taking numerous measurements and keeping meticulous records. An interpreter explained the kill site to us with past and present findings about the nature of its deposit. Archaeologists and paleontologists are still trying to figure out the reason for such a rich accumulation.

Our finds were exhiting and numerous. Jim Toomey found a complete skeleton of Dinictis, the false sabertooth cat of Oligocene Nebraska. The skeleton was buried in a large mass of tufaceous siltstone and had to be removed in several small plaster jackets for manageablility. The skull which had eluded us all week was finally uncoverd. Nancy Rembert and Jim also found a mystery skeleton which, upon closer inspection turned out to be horse (probably Mesohippus). Melissa Cole disacovered a juvenile oreodont, one of several and quite varied species of this sheep-like artiodactyl, found commonly in the aptly named Turtle/Oreodont zone (Brule Formation) of Oligocene Nebraska. Several other oreodont skulls and jaws were found, as well as two tiny turtles, and many jaw fragments of the diminuitive deer Leptomeryx. Marcia Wright and Reed Toomey both found the jaws of a small rhino. Among the smallest fossils we found were rabbit jaws, squirrel jaws, and a complete skull of a tiny insectivore. All that was visible on a one-inch long chunk of siltstone, was the shiny row of brown teeth, that had cought his attention. Steve Hutchens, our master fossil hunter, is an expert at spotting things so small, but others like Nancy Rembert and Robyn Miller also became proficient at collecting micro-mammals. Fossils were not our sole hunting objectives. Bob Simons, our beloved Thomas Farm naturalist, came on this trip to see his first "Horny Toad" (horned lizard). Brian Ahern spotted one for him and made Bob a happy camper. Since we departed, Steve and Sue have been working on the plaster jackets and other fossils which will be incorporated into our growing Nebraska collection. Thanks to one and all for your fabulous contributions.

On Friday evening we freshened up and had our "fare well" dinner at the Ranch House in Crawford. The dinner was great and the hospitality was quite friendly, considering the shriek of surprize let out by one of our group when Reed pulled a creepy crawly joke on us. What? Sorry I can't tell you, because it'll ruin the surprize for next year's participants.

Saturday morning we spent our last few hours hunting fossils before heading back to Rapid City. The weather was cooler than it had been all week. It was like an open invitation: "Y'all come back next year, you hear?"

We had a wonderful group of people and, as always happens on Pony Express programs, we enjoyed a great camaraderie. Don't miss a great thing! Join us next year for our 3rd Annual western Adventure to be held June 17 - 24, 2000. A special treat is in store for the adventurers on the summer solstice of 2000.

During out Nebraska trip we had several mini-lectures on field geology during which the Munsell rock color chart and a good photo scale were used (see photos). These items are available from the Geological Society of America's bookstore. Ordering information is provided below:
web: http://www.geosociety.org
toll free: 1-800-472-1988
fax: 303-447-1133
Back to Top

Reflections about the 1999 Thomas Farm Digs

The 1999 Pony Express field season was again fun and productive. The weather was cooperative most of the time. Even when it rained overnight during the first weekend and got a bit nippy, we nevertheless had an enthusiastic team of diggers who would not be stopped by a bit of weather. We reached an exceptionally rich layer under the enclosure. Last year we hit Jaw City and this year we continued with these great finds with the addition of approximately 40 jaws and 5 skulls from the two sessions. Several new diggers "cut their teeth" on this rich layer. Becky Dayhuff (Tennessee) found an Alligator olseni maxilla. Pam Platt (Maryland) found an Archaeohippus jaw and a 'dog' jaw. There are three dog-like carnivores about the size of a coyote at Thomas Farm. Metatomarctos canavus, of the subfamily Borophaginae, Osbornodon iamonensis, a hesperocyonine canid, and, the rarest, Euplocyon spissidens. Field identification of these species is difficult and many of the skulls found this year still await preparation. Kimberly Garner (Louisiana) and Teri Lear from

Skull of Alligator olseni collected at Thomas Farm by John Freund during 1999 Session II compared to the skull of a rescent A. mississipiensis. Erika Simons photo.

Kentucky found two additional 'dog' jaws. Fresh from the prep-lab, we have one of John Freund's (Gainesville) discoveries, the skull of a wolverine-sized mustelid, identified by Dick Tedford, curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who visited the FLMNH vertebrate paleontology collections this September. Although specific identification was inconclusive, this skull did not resemble any of the other mustelids from Thomas Farm and may possibly be an undescribed new species! Congratulations, John. Terry Johnson (Glenwood) found an Alligator olseni jaw, while Byan Ward (Orlando) found one of two alligator skulls. A gator skull found by John Freund during session two, has been prepared and is the best preserved specimen of Alligator olseni in the museum! Until this year we only had one complete A. olseni skull, found by Stephanie Adler in 1994 (see (see Pony Express, Vol. 3, no. 2). ). Because this specimen will be on display in our new Fossil Hall exhibit, it is great to have two more in the collection for study. Another gator jaw was added by Bill Killingsworth (Alabama). Bob Hammond (Westbrook, ME) and Les Whiddon (Starke) found two of many Parahippus jaws, but the most prolific discovery this year was made by Brian Ahern who found 5 jaws in a single plaster jacket! Every time he tried to trench around his pedestal of fossils he came across another jaw he had to include. Two other veterans found more than one horse jaw. Our fossil collector extraordinaire, Jeff Yaun found both Archeohippus and Parahippus jaws. Will Edmunds from Maryland found several of the little horse jaws in session 2 and one beautiful Nothokemas (Camel) jaw as well. Scott Stuart found an Archaeohippus skull.

Several complete and unbroken postcranial bones were discovered this year. A rhino patella (Pam Platt), a rhino foot bone and vertebra (Terry Johnson & Bill Killingsworth), were discovered during both sessions and a rhino hand bone found during the installation of the new staircase into our sinkhole fossil site. This beautiful preservation is not uncommon for the compact foot bones of many Thomas Farm mammals and the osteoderms (dermal bones) of alligators. However, Teri Lear also found a pristine, unbroken Parahippus tibia and cannonbone. One tooth deserves special mention. Marcia Wright found an oreodont incisor. Oreodonts are an extinct group of hoofed sheep-like mammals that were very common in the Oligocene (about 30 million years ago) of the Western United States, but are only rarely found from Oligocene sites in Florida. Oreodonts from Thomas Farm are very rare. Only 4 bones (2 teeth, a foot bone and the distal end of a radius (lower arm bone) had been found until this year.

Brian Ahern (left) and David Whiddon (right) carry a plaster jacket with a rhinoceros rib up the new staircase constructed earlier this year by Steve and Sue Hutchens of Oldtown. Merald Clark photo.

The addition of the aforementioned staircase came in very handy when we struggled up the hill with two of the heaviest plaster jackets. David Whiddon had a long rhino rib in a rather unwieldy jacket, but the heaviest by far was Brian Ahern's 5-jaw jacket. Bill Killingsworth, one of the 7 porters, told Brian "you're supposed to dig in the square, not bring the whole thing with you".

I am sometimes asked which session is the best to sign up for. Some people think that in the first session we find all the good stuff and the second session gets all the leftovers. Others think that the first session only unloads the overburden and paves the way to the great finds for the second session. In my opinion there is no such thing as a better session. Our field seasons are 'like a box of chocolates... you never know what you get'.

Bear-dog skull collected at Thomas Farm by Eric Sargis on May 3, 1999. Erika Simons photo.

After the two Pony Express sessions, Jay O'Sullivan, a graduate student, took a crew out to Thomas Farm for a week. One of his crewmembers found a beautiful Amphycion (bear-dog) skull while helping Jay in his search for more Archaeohippus jaws for his doctoral research. With the wealth of riches produced in 1999, next year's 9th annual Pony Express digs in April have great potential for more exciting discoveries.

What do People think about our Pony Express Activities? Read on...

Of Thomas Farm...It was more fun than I expected and was a wonderful learning experience as well as an opportunity to make new friends whom I hope to see again at next year's dig. Becky A. Dayhuff, Tellico Plains, TN

Of Family Day...I was very impressed at the even-handed, friendly and encouraging way that you handled the group and Hayley certainly was pleased with the interest and encouragement that you showed her. ...she can't wait to sift through the sands of Thomas Farm again. Hayley says"I'm also looking forward to the four day dig even more!" Sarah and Hayley Singleton, Gainesville, FL

Of the Western Trip...This one was even better than last year's trip...Take a deep breath and sign me up for next year. Marcia Wright, Winter Park, FL

Of the Lab Session...What an exciting experience! I thank everyone who helped to make our session such a memorable one. Deborah Martel, Longwood, FL
Back to Top

**The Future of the Pony Express: Education Initiative**

In 1996 the many generous contributions and net proceeds from Pony Express events together were used to form a permanent fund to support vertebrate paleontology programs here at the FLMNH. This endowment started at $20,000 and it currently (8/24/99) stands at $52,024. Thus, the financial health of the Pony Express is excellent, and now allows us to consider the next level of programmatic improvement, the Education Initiative.

Over the past several years, several donations to the Pony Express have been given specifically to support a scholarship for a participant in one of the yearly events. In 1996 the SouthWest Florida Fossil Club sponsored Wandi Savage, an Orlando teacher, to attend the Thomas Farm fossil dig. In 1999, anonymous donations allowed scholarships for two teachers, one to attend the Western Adventure (Melissa Cole), and the other to attend the Lab/Prep Session (Deborah Martel). It is vitally important that our teachers, and hopefully in the future, young students, have the opportunity to participate in the Pony Express activities. I therefore propose to increase the FLMNH Vertebrate Paleontology endowment to facilitate these activities. Specific goals for the Education Initiative are as follows:

When we raise $3,000 of endowment, then the annual income generated ($150*) will allow ONE scholarship for the summer Prep/Lab Session.
When we raise an additional $4,000 of endowment, then the annual income generated ($200*) will allow ONE scholarship for the Thomas Farm Spring Digs.
When we raise an additional $24,000 of endowment, then the annual income generated ($1,200*) will allow ONE scholarship for the Western Adventure.

If you are interested in contributing to the new Pony Express Education Initiative, you can either send in your contribution now, or pledge funds, with the pledge to be fulfilled before the end of 2000. Because you receive no services or products in return for this contribution, then all such donations are potentially tax deductible. Please consider contributing to this Education Initiative by completing the enclosed Contribution form.

Once these scholarships are established, they will be announced each year in the Pony Express newsletter. Scholarship applicants will submit a short application form, to be considered by the Pony Express staff. Thank you very much for your consideration of this request and for your continued interest in, and support of, the Pony Express. Every one of your donations, no matter how large or small, is greatly appreciated. Your enthusiastic support over the years has allowed the immense success that the Pony Express has enjoyed since its inception in 1991.

*The UF Foundation endowment management policies dictate that only a portion of the income (and never any of the principal) be spent in any given year. Generally this is a conservative 5% yield, with additional income (over and above the 5 %) generated in better years being converted back into the principal in order to enable future growth. If the total endowment (currently at $52,024) grows to $100,000 through this Education Initiative and other contributions, then this fund will be available for a $50,000 match from the State of Florida, thus yielding a total principal of $150,000 for the same intended purposes.
Back to Top

Pony Express Scholarship Recipients

The following two articles were written by our 1999 scholarship recipients, Melissa Cole (science teacher at Milwee Middle School, Longwood, FL) and Deborah Martel (also from Longwood). They have been edited to fit available space.

A Walk Through Geologic Time - Western Adventure

This summer a wonderful opportunity was offered to me to walk through geologic time. I was offered a scholarship to join the Florida Museum of Natural History's Pony Express Western Adventure. I joined Dr. Bruce MacFadden and crew on a trip to the Nebraska badlands to study geological formations and collect Oligocene fossils. We all met in Rapid City, SD and spent a day touring the city and visiting the South Dakota School of Mines Museum of Geology. The museum wet our appetites for the days of fossil collecting during our week in the Nebraska badlands. We collected in the white River group, mainly in the Chadron and Brule formations.

Melissa Cole rests next to her first plaster jacket of a juvenile oreodont skull. Jewel Pozefsky photo.

To help us understand the geology of the area, we first visited Toadstool Park, a wonderful badlands park in which you could see the three different types of sediment layers of the White River group. These were the Chadron, Orella and Whitney members of the Brule formation. Dr. MacFadden described how these features related to fossils found in Florida. For example, fossils found in the orellan are the same age as the I-75 fauna, the oldest known in Florida.

For the next few days, I was up close and personal with the Chadron and Orella members. I found several small deer and rabbit jaws, a juvenile oreodont skull, a juvenile oreodont maxilla, and a rhino jaw. We went to various areas of the badlands near Crawford. Some of us took a side trip to the Agate Fossil Beds, and learned about the geology of the Arikaree group, which is considerably younger than the White River group. I also visited the Hudson-Meng bison kill site and the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs where I learned different approaches to studying fossil collecting sites.

I will share all these wonderful experiences and describe my walk through geologic time. I have seen how sedimentary rocks form and erode, I have seen faults in the rocks, and I fossil types have changed as you go from one formation to the next. I can now create lessons that will bring sedimentary formations, fossils, and faulting to life for my students. When my students do an elevation lab, I can describe how paleontologists use similar methods to mark areas where particular fossils are found. I can describe how collecting fossils can help answer questions about the Earth's past with relevant examples. This is extremely important in teaching. For if you can make the material come alive, become real and relevant to the students, then they will learn and maybe even be inspired to take their own walk through geologic time! Melissa B. Cole Science Teacher Milwee Middle School Longwood, FL

A Lesson in Bones - The Pony Express Summer Lab Session

During a department meeting at Lake Mary High School, our department chair passed around copies of the Pony Express programs. I got so excited. Fossils along with most other subjects in science have excited me all my life. I grew up in Chicago and had been to the paleontology fossils at the Field Museum many times. A year ago my youngest child went off to college. At that time I decided to make a wish list- all the things I have wanted to do, but didn't have time while I raised 3 daughters. A chance to go on a paleontology dig? Lab session? Oh, Yes! I want to do that. I couldn't get into the dig as it was already full, but I could get into the lab session.

When I arrived at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, I had no idea what to expect. What I saw was a beautiful new museum with some amazing exhibits. Make sure you stop there some time and touch the dinosaur bone! The people were amazing, too. I was truly the novice. Fossils had been their passion and hobby for many years and they were spouting dates, geologic time periods, and creatures' names. The ages of the participants ranged from 12 to- well lets just say definitely over 12. Even though I was the novice, I was welcomed and helped a great deal by those who knew so much more than I.

Deborah Martel identifying fossils from Thomas Farm at the 2nd annual Pony Express Lab Session. Erika Simons photo.

When we started the lab session, the first thing we did was an extensive lesson on mammal anatomy. Since I had taught anatomy a few years ago, I felt pretty confident with that material. But then, Erika Simons dumped a box of bones on the table and said, "Put the creature together." It was like doing a jigsaw puzzle with incomplete pieces. Ours was missing a head! I bow to the knowledge of my lab partners. They were recognizing chunks of bone (which just looked like chunks of bone to me) and knew exactly were to place them. I think I helped with the vertebrae. At least, I hope I did.

Then we went into the lab where I was handed a tray of bones that had been exhumed at the Thomas Farm dig in April. "Identify these" was the order of the day. I held real bones of real animals that roamed the Florida area 16 to 18 million years ago! I have a hard time understanding those types of numbers. Millions of years! What was the world like then? What were the other creatures like then? What did everything look like? It really makes me feel so insignificant to think of these creatures living that long ago. We had lots of pictures to use with which to compare the bones. By the end of that session, I was identifying toe and foot bones of the Archaeohippus and Parahippus correctly, but that was all. Every time I thought I had identified something else correctly, they were very polite, but said, "No". I really gained an appreciation for the massive amount of knowledge these 'amateurs' had.

The next day was a lesson in frustration, fortitude, and excitement. We were given plaster casts that had been made in the field. These casts were filled with sand, rocks and fossils. With a small paint brush and a dentist's pick we painstakingly removed the sand and uncovered the bones. Many of the bones were crushed and had to be hardened before removing. It took me 5 hours to go through my cast, but it was amazing. I had alligator, turtle, a deer like creature, and horse fossils. I recognized the two toe fossils immediately. Some of the other ones were just broken chunks and unrecognizable to me, but not the experts. When all was said and done, I had uncovered one 5-inch foot bone (after much hardening and gluing) of a Parahippus and almost twenty other pieces or full bones. What an exciting experience!

I thank Erika and everyone else who helped to make our session such a memorable one. I encourage others to sign up for the next one. Good Fossil hunting to everyone!
Back to Top

First Family Day at Thomas Farm

Doug Cenzer and daughter Meredith Cenzer are studying fossils from the 18-million-year-old Thomas Farm fossil site. Erika Simons photo..

Our first Family Day at Thomas Farm, an entertaining yet educational activity sponsored by the FLMNH, went exceedingly well. We had 18 enthusiastic participants. The day started with an overview of fossils in Florida and a behind-the-scenes tour of the exhibits. While all participants like this part, everyone was dying with anticipation to get down and dirty at the actual fossil site. At 11 a.m. we headed out to Thomas Farm located in Gilchrist County and about an hour's drive from Gainesville. After a picnic lunch and short orientation about the site, we went to the spoil piles and hunted for what fossils the rains had washed out. The place was like a giant sandbox for crawling with children of all ages. Both parents and their children enjoyed finding the teeth, diminutive toes and ankle bones of the small three toed horses that roamed here 18 million years ago. A short nature walk was optional for those who might tire of digging, but we hardly had any takers. 4 p.m. came all too soon and it was rough dragging everybody out of the 'sandbox' for the closing discussion. Thanks to all participants for making this another great addition to the FLMNH's activities.

Senior Discovery Series

Richard Stoeker of Lake City examines the 1.5 million-year-old Equus skeleton from the Leisey Shell Pit, south of Tampa. Jeff Gage photo.

Senior Discovery Series

Book Review - Fossiling in Florida: A Guide for Diggers and Divers

Author: Mark Renz. Publisher: University Press of Florida, Gainesville, 208 pp. 6 x 9.2 maps, 250 b&w photos, 23 illustrations, further reading, list of clubs in Florida...soft cover, ISBN 0-8130-1677-0, list price $19.95. Can be ordered from publisher (1-800-226-3822). Autographed copies can be obtained through Fossil Expeditions 1-941-368-3252 or http://fossilexpeditions.com

In an easy and delightful style, Mr. Renz tells how and where to hunt for fossils and how to preserve them for another million years. The over 250 photographs can help you identify your finds. He include chapters on fossil horses, cats, armadillos, bison and more. Also covered are the hazards to be overcome and legalities to be observed.

This book is free of technical jargon yet highly informative. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fossils.
Back to Top

Pony Express

Editorial Staff:

Bruce J. MacFadden Program Director
Erika H. Simons, Editor and Program Coordinator

Direct all Correspondence to:

Pony Express

You can receive future issues of the Pony Express with a one-time new-member fee of $20 made payable to the UF Foundation

Contributions and Support: All supporters receive Pony Express and invitations to related activities that promote the research, exhibition, and education about Florida fossil horses.

Support Categories--1998

Contributor $20-99
Friend $100-249
Sustainer $250-499
Patron $500-999
Benefactor $1000+

New-member fee and other contributions should be made payable to:
UF Foundation and sent to the address listed above

Editor's email address: esimons@flmnh.ufl.edu

Pony Express--Statement of Purpose:

Do you travel along the information superhighway?

The Pony Expressis now on the World Wide Web via the

Internet URL location:

/vertpaleo/ponyexpr.htm

Donations to the Fossil Horse Fund -- 1998

All contributions received between April 16 1998 and September 21 1998

Patrons ($500-999)

Pozefsky, Jewel K.: Orlando

Friends ($100-249)

Johnson, Terry: Glennwood
MacFadden, Bruce J.: Gainesville
Shaak, Graig: Gainesville
Simons, Erika H.: Gainesville

Contributors ($20-99)

Bowen, Anne: New Port Richey
Broach, Ellen: Macon, GA
Brooks, Joseph C.: Gainesville
Cozzini, Helen: Temple Terrace
Dayhuff, Becky A.: Tellico Plains, TN
Ferguson, Jewel B.: Tallahassee
Garson, Deborah: Brooklyn, NY
Gernert, George: Taylors, NC
Hutchens, Steve & Sue: Oldtown
Johnson, Terry: Glenwood
Juergensmeyer, Margaret: Manhattan, MT
Maier, Joseph: St. Petersburg
McPherson, A. Bradley: Shreveport, LA
Miller, Mary C.: Frostproof
Nafus, Benjamin E.: Bakersfield, CA
Ott, Edgar, A.: Micanopy
Preator, Phyllis: Cody WY
Sinibaldi, Robert W.: St. Petersburg
Skinner, Shirley: Ainsworth, NE
Stacey, Roger B.: Venice
Tabor, Peg: Orlando
The Singletons: Gainesville
Watanabe, Osamu: Tokyo, Japan
Whisler, Phillip M.: Gainesville
Zinn, Terry & Mona Sullivan: Alachua

PONY EXPRESS BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE!

Back issues of this newsletter are available at a cost of $8.00 per volume, or $3.00 per issue. Issues 1 and 2 of Vol. 1 are only available as photocopies. Other issues, which are available in their original printing, are: Vol. 1, # 3, 4; Vol. 2, # 1-4; Vol. 3, #1-3/4; Vol. 4, # 1 and 2; Vol. 5, # 1 and 2; Vol. 6, #1 and 2; Vol. 7, #1 and 2; Vol. 8 # 1and 2 Please make checks out to UF Foundation and send your request to Erika H. Simons, editor and Pony Express Program Coordinator at the above address.

Your tax-deductible contributions keep this highly popular program alive! All contributions at any of the above levels are valued and your support is sincerely appreciated. If your employer has a matching funds program your contribution can work twice as hard.

Pony Express Home | Vertebrate Paleontology | FLMNH