Re: Fossil collecting,hunting,non-pro (fwd)

[NEIL CLARK <NCLARK@museum.gla.ac.uk>]

> Forwarded message:
> > Why don't some of you pro's sponsor us, and use us as the many 
extra sets of
> > eyes we can be.  Nothing would give me greater satisfaction than 
knowing one
> > of my walks in the desert brought either a new species, or perfect 
specimen,
> > to the light of acadamia.
> > 
> 
> I agree 100%. I can't think of anything that would make my day more 
> than finding something like this; I don't want souvenirs - my 
> conscience wouldn't let me keep them, anyway. I just want the 
> opportunity to be involved.
> 
> 
The truth is that we do sponsor amateur collectors as much as is 
possible in Scotland.  We have a few grant sources that I also apply 
to for field work.  Mostly, however, I have to pay for my own fieldwork 
out of my own pocket.  Palaeontology is not considered a topic worth 
sponsoring to any great extent in this country.  To attract 
sponsorship, you have to be expensive and most field palaeontology 
is quite cheap.  Unless you are doing some sort of molecular 
palaeontology, it is very difficult to obtain grants.  

As I have said, there are a few sources of sponsorship in Scotland 
that are well used by amateurs in this country.  Most geological 
societies have some sort of awards that can be applied for.

Neil Clark
Curator of Palaeontology
Hunterian Museum
University of Glasgow
email: NCLARK@museum.gla.ac.uk

Some large dinosaurs had three horns and were called
triceps, others had two horns and were called biceps.
(Geological Howlers - ed. WDI Rolfe)