In Carnival of the Animals, Saint Saëns pokes fun at old tired tunes, which ought to be buried and forgotten. His musical fossils include French folk songs, and even his own Danse Macabre. Saint Saens also has fun at the expense of amateur nineteenth century fossil hunters, and the ‘chippy’ sound of the xylophone recalls the sounds of small hammers tapping away at cliff-side fossil beds during days out at the seaside.
Nineteenth century fossil hunter Mary Anning (1799 – 1847) was called ‘The Princess of Palaeontology’. Her contribution to our understanding of the fossil record is highlighted by the Natural History Museum in a series of free KS2 videoconference events for schools. Sessions are accompanied by a set of excellent teachers’ resources, linked with the QCA Science schemes of work. Contact the Natural History Museum on 020 7942 5556
Mary Anning and her father explored the cliff-side fossil beds near Lyme Regis, selling finds to tourists. A fall led to her father’s death, and Mary, her mother and her brother were left penniless. The two children started collecting fossils full time to scrape a living, selling them from a table outside their late father’s carpenter’s shop.
During the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, fossil collecting was a fashionable hobby. Fossils had been considered curiosities rather than important scientific evidence. However, serious interest was developing, and Mary started selling fossils to members of a growing scientific community. In 1811, Mary’s brother discovered a large skull with teeth like a crocodile.
Following further storm erosion, twelve year-old Mary found the rest of the skeleton. This proved to be the first complete skeleton of an Ichthyosaur to be discovered. The fossil was described in the Transactions of the Royal Society, and Thomas Birch, a wealthy collector, sold his own fossil collection to raise money for Mary’s family. This made it possible for the girl to continue with her fossil hunting.
In 1813, Mary was given a book about geology. This fired her imagination, and she set about reading everything about geology and palaeontology. She also learned French so that she could read the latest research in journals. Mary made connections with her own experiences. She studied modern sea creatures, dissecting dead cuttlefish and squid to learn how the muscles of prehistoric sea creatures might have worked. She drew on her experiences and logic to question beliefs, and influenced ways scholars interpreted the fossil evidence. In 1834, Mary assisted the Swiss palaeontologist Louis Agassiz’s study of fossil fish by showing him how backbones could be matched with teeth found in the same limestone layer.
Mary went on to discover the first almost complete example of a Plesiosaurus; the first fossil flying reptile to be found in Britain and a fossil fish, the Squaloraj linking sharks and rays.
Although she was made an honorary member of the Geological Society of London for her contributions, Mary was not eligible for full membership because she was a woman
The tongue twister She sells sea-shells on the sea-shore is said to be be based on Mary Sullivan selling fossils to tourists at Lyme Regis
Web Links
• Panorama of East Cliff at Lyme, site of Mary’s finds, http://www.malconet.me.uk/lymeregis/lymepan-5.htm
• 1830 watercolour of imagined early Jurassic landscape with large marine animals. Reproductions were sold to benefit Mary Anning
Gathering the Jewels: The website for Welsh cultural History
http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/item1/26475
• Discovering Fossils: Bringing the Prehistoric world to life
http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/