here - Geological Curators Group

also provided many of the photographs anddiagrams incorporated in the exhibition.Dr Michael Bassett (Keeper of Geology, NMW)visited China early in 1986 as a guest of theNational Academy to complete negotiations forthe loan and shipment of the dinosaurs.The s~ecimens left Beiiine in earlvseptember, arriving ii ~ardiff in-midOctober. Technicians from China mounted theskeletons within the geological 'sets'designed by Ian Kane, the NMW's ExhibitionsOfficer and his design team. Dr Alan Charig(British Museum (Natural History)) acted asscientific consultant, helping the staff inthe Department of Geology in Cardiff to planthe exhibition.Over the past twenty-five years or so, Chinahas begun to yield enormous numbers ofdinosaurs, rivalling in importance the 19thand early 20th century finds in other partsof the world. The recent expansion ofcultural and scientific links with China nowallows some of these important discoveries tobe seen and assessed more widely.Stars of the exhibition are six complete,free-standing dinosaur skeletons. Oneskeleton, Mamenchisaurus, is the largestfossil ever found in Asia and one of thelargest dinosaurs known from anywhere in theworld, with a neck and head occupying overhalf of its total length of 22 metres.Another distinctive form is Tsintaosaurus, aduckbilled dinosaur with a spike or hornprojecting from the top of its skull. Mostof the forms are unique to China.In adrlition to the dinosaurs, thcrc is also apterosaur culled I,-~maripterus which had nwing-sr,an - of over 3 metres (10 faet).'Nests' of dinosaur eggs, dinosaurfootprints, plus a range of smallerskeletons. skulls and isolated bones are alsoon displa; to illustrate the origins, lifehabits and relationships of dinosaurs andother vertebrate animals. Part of theexhibition concentrates on the submarine lifethat existed when dinosaurs lived on land.Supplementary specimens from Europe and NorthAmerica help to place the Chinese fossils ina world-wide context. Large dinosaurs ofthis kind are rare in Britain, and none havebeen found in Wales (although the evidence offootprints in South Wales indicates thatdinosaurs did Live in the area).The difficult job of shipping the largedinosaur skeletons from China to Cardiff wasundertaken by Overseas Containers (UKAgencies) Ltd. Support for the exhibition isbeing given by the British Council and theFriends of the National Museum of Wales.Further information from Dr Michael Bassett,Keeper of Geology, National Museum of Wales,Cathays Park, Cardiff CF1 3NP (Tel. 0222397951).MR WOOD'S FOSSILS EVOLVE!The attention deservedly given to Stan Wood'sfine fossils from the Carboniferous ofScotland should not make us forget that Stanhas also made great progress with hisbusiness 'Mr Wood's Fossils', as one of thevery few full-time professional fossilcollectors in this country. The ScotsmanMagazine (7 (l), 21-22: colour supplement to- The Scotsman) noted that Stan 'decided totake the biggest gamble of his life. He soldhis house. took a three-month ScottishBusiness School course, and persuadedLivinaston Develo~ment Corporation and the~ank-of Scotland to 'invest in one of themost unusual businesses to come into the newtown - Mr Wood's Fossils.' Now his servicesand discoveries are available to museums,universities and a few private clients on acommercial basis. .'The development of Stan's business, based inan industrial estate in the New Town ofLivingston to the west of Edinburgh, has beendescribed by the Livinaston Courier (11 July1986) as follows:'An amazing 12 months for Livingston fossilhunter Stan Wood was capped last week when hereceived an award - presented by PrinceCharles - as one of Britain's mostenterprising small businesses.Stan's Dedridge-based company, Mr Wood'sFossils, already turning over more thanElOO, 000 worth of business each year, camefourth in the BBC-sponsored competition.Later Stan was told by two judges he mighteven have won if he had employed morepeople! And BBC Director General AlasdairMilne also had special praise for Stan forbringing the first YTS student to the awardsin Astrid McCabe (161, of Polbeth, who hasnow been taken on full-time."It's been a great year for me," said Stan,who has seen his work start a nationwidetour; discussed with David Attenborough theprospect of featuring in a new TV series;graduated from Open University and appearedat countless exhibitions.Stan (471, who has astounded experts with hisfinds, said he was greatly encouraged bywords of praise from Prince Charles."He said he was very pleased with theprogress I had made and he hoped the awardwould encourage me to do even better in thefuture," recalled Stan, who is busycompleting an article for a prestigiousFrench scientific magazine.'NEW FROM BATHThe GCG's meeting of 3 October 1986 at BathGeology Museum had the best ever attendanceof any other than one-off conferencemeetings, appropriately enough in view ofplans for the future of this museum. TheBath Museum News for Autumn 1986 reports:-p-'Two New Museums for Bath. In 1989 a newcentral Reference and Lending Library is tobe built on the Podium site next to theBeaufort 1.Iotel. The Royal Literary andScientific Institute collections at QueenSquare will be transferred as a Trust to the