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Alberta Palaeontological Society Bulletin September 2010

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Alberta Palaeontological Society Bulletin September 2010 Palæontological Society Bulletin AlbertaVOLUME 25 • NUMBER 3 www.albertapaleo.org SEPTEMBER 2010 ALBERTA PALÆONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS d. Work with professionals at museums and universities President Wayne Braunberger 278-5154 to add to the palaeontological collections of the Vice-President Harold Whittaker 286-0349 province (preserve Alberta’s heritage). Treasurer Mona Marsovsky 547-0182 Secretary Cory Gross 617-2079 MEMBERSHIP: Any person with a sincere interest in Past-President Dan Quinsey 247-3022 palaeontology is eligible to present their application for membership in the Society. (Please enclose membership DIRECTORS dues with your request for application.) Editor Howard Allen 274-1858 Single membership $20.00 annually Membership Vaclav Marsovsky 547-0182 Family or Institution $25.00 annually Program Coordinator Philip Benham 280-6283 Field Trip Coordinator Keith Mychaluk 228-3211 THE BULLETIN WILL BE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY: COMMITTEES March, June, September and December. Deadline for sub- APAC† Howard Allen 274-1858 mitting material for publication is the 15th of the month Fossil Collection Howard Allen 274-1858 prior to publication. Library Judith Aldama 471-8106 Society Mailing Address: Public Outreach Dan Quinsey 247-3022 Social Paul Dugan 934-9599 Alberta Palaeontological Society Symposium Philip Benham 280-6283 P.O. Box 35111, Sarcee Postal Outlet Website Vaclav Marsovsky 547-0182 Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3E 7C7 (Web: www.albertapaleo.org) † Alberta Palaeontological Advisory Committee Material for the Bulletin: The Society was incorporated in 1986, as a non-profit organization formed to: Howard Allen, Editor, APS 7828 Hunterslea Crescent, N.W. a. Promote the science of palaeontology through study Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2K 4M2 and education. (E-mail: [email protected]) b. Make contributions to the science by: 1) Discovery 2) Collection 3) Description NOTICE: Readers are advised that opinions expressed in 4) Education of the general public the articles are those of the author and do not necessarily 5) Preservation of material for study and the future reflect the viewpoint of the Society. Except for articles marked “Copyright ©,” reprinting of articles by exchange c. Provide information and expertise to other collectors. bulletins is permitted, as long as credit is given. UPCOMING APS MEETINGS Meetings take place at 7:30 p.m. in Room B108, Mount Royal University, 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW, Calgary, Alberta. Friday, October 15, 2010—Dr. Len V. Hills, University of Calgary: The Wally’s Beach Site: A Palaeontological-Archaeological Treasure Trove (see Page 4). Friday, November 19, 2010—Dr. Takuya Konishi, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology: Studying Mosasaurs Far and Deep: The Evolution of the Swimming Style in the Last Giants of the Mesozoic Oceans (see Page 5). Friday, December 10, 2010—Vaclav Marsovsky, Alberta Palaeontological Society: Mammal Trackways in Toadstool Geological Park, Nebraska (see Page 6). ON THE COVER: Grassy Mountain coal mine in the Crowsnest Pass area of southwestern Alberta. The now abandoned open-pit mine exposes rocks of the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Mist Mountain Formation of the Kootenay Group, one of the primary coal-producing formations in western Canada. The area produces well-preserved plant fossils and was the venue for the August 2010 APS field trip. Photo by Keith Mychaluk. APS Bulletin 2 September 2010 Obituary. Hope’s many accomplisments were cited Society Mourns (including one I did not know: she apparently found the first flying reptile fossil in Canada). Lawrence shared a few memories of his life as a child being Hope Johnson “dragged” into the sweltering heat of the badlands for hours on end, collecting rocks, fossils, and wildflow- t is our sad duty to an- ers. Hope frequently invited Lawrence’s friends to Inounce the passing of tag along. He remembered his friends calling her a Mrs. Barbara Elizabeth “walking encyclopedia.” “Hope” Johnson on Tues- He grinned when he said Hope was not much of day, August 24, 2010 at the a housekeeper, as the house was always full of these age of 94, in Medicine Hat. items in every corner and on every table along with Hope Johnson was of art supplies scattered around where Hope was paint- course very well known to ing or drawing. the aps, having been a long- Lawrence shared another memory: he sarcastically time member, our Society’s asked his mom what she was making for dinner one Dan Quinsey first Life Member, and col- day and she calmly replied with her usual big smile, laborator/illustrator and inspiration for the recently “rattlesnake stew”. He was quite surprised about published aps book, Guide to Common Vertebrate her reply and was not sure if she was joking or not. Fossils from the Cretaceous of Alberta. It is hard to (Sharon Steim later commented with a big grin, “I overstate Hope’s influence on Alberta palaeontology, can just imagine Hope stuffing a rattlesnake into the particularly within the amateur community, where pressure cooker”.) she was—and is—an icon. Lawrence said Hope had many followers who Hope’s life and accomplishments are too large wanted to meet her and get their picture taken with a topic to document in this brief announcement. her. Hope never turned anyone away but was known Darren Tanke is preparing a major article on Hope’s to comment about the numerous pictures she had life as part of his Remember Me series of biographies of herself with people she did not even know. Her and we plan to publish it in the Bulletin later this year children had a running joke in the family that those or early in 2011. pictures were kept for “scale” in reference to Hope’s Past-President Dan Quinsey was able to attend diminutive height. Hope’s Memorial Service in Medicine Hat, on behalf Darren Tanke, Patty Ralrick and Dr. Don of the aps. His report follows. Brinkman were also in attendance. A few of Hope’s family and close friends went up to the podium to relate comments and short stories during the open mike portion of the Memorial. Darren Tanke re- Memorial Service lated how he and Phil Currie were always excited to receive a package from Hope with a few fossils she for Hope Johnson had collected. She would usually have them already identified and described and was asking for their By Dan Quinsey, Past-President confirmation, as opposed to the many packages they usually receive from the public without any paper- work, asking for identification. By Darren’s account, attended Hope Johnson’s Memorial Service Sep- Hope had donated approximately 2300 fossils to the I tember 4, 2010 at Pattison Chapel in Medicine Hat. Museum. Barbara Elizabeth “Hope” Johnson was born The aps was mentioned a few times in the re- March 17, 1916 in Sardis, BC and passed away on Au- counting of her induction as a Life Member of the gust 24, 2010 in Medicine Hat, Alberta at age 94. Society, the date we approached her about republish- The Service lasted approximately one hour.Sharon ing her drawings, and the launch of the new book. Steim gave the opening statement and greeting to Our presence was acknowledged by Sharon Steim. everybody—the many family members, friends, rela- The drive to and from Medicine Hat along with tives and guests present. the Service made it a long day for me but I was happy Hope’s son Lawrence Johnson followed with the to have attended and to have represented the aps. o APS Bulletin 3 September 2010 ice sheet, the St. Mary River reestablished itself on Corrections the glacio-lacustrine sediments. Initially a meander loop to the south followed by a cutoff produced a In “May Election Results” (June 2010 Bulletin, p. large island in the river. This island became the focus 3), the date of the Annual General Meeting is incor- for food and water for the palaeofauna. rect. The meeting was actually held on Friday, May When the river cut down to the resistant sand- 21, not May 28. stones of the St. Mary River Formation, incision On the same page, in the article “Paleo 2010” the slowed and the river cut laterally into the soft lake surname of artist Brian Cooley is misspelled “Cou- sediments, producing a broad floodplain west of the lee.” Author Mona Marsovsky and the editor apolo- site and a west-facing scarp to the island. It was at gize for the error. o this point that the palaeofauna, followed by Palaeo Indians, entered the area. During wet intervals, the palaeofauna moved across the area leaving tracks and trackways which Upcoming were covered by a veneer of silt and sand, preserving them for later exposure. The palaeofauna attracted the Palaeo Indians and the skeletal elements of their Events successful hunts were rapidly encased in sands, preserving them from scavengers such as wolves and foxes. October The palaeofauna is comprised of mammoth, west- ern camel, Mexican horse, ancient bison, caribou, Dr. L.V. Hills wolves, foxes, scimitar cats and rodents. Evidence University of Calgary of Palaeo Indian activity in the area includes Clovis points, butchered horses and camels and a collec- The Wally’s Beach Site: A tion of cast caribou antlers. Protein residue on Clovis points provided the first use of this technique on Palaeontological-Archaeological samples 11,000 years old. Butchering of Mexican Treasure Trove horse and camel is documented for the first time. The Co-authors archaeological, biological and geological significance B. Kooyman, University of Calgary of the tracks and trackways as they reflect animal S. Tolman, Cardston behaviour will be reviewed. P. Mcneil, Steppe Consulting Biography Friday, October 15, 2010, 7:30 p.m. Dr. Len Hills was born and raised on a farm Mount Royal University, Room B108 at Judah, Alberta. On completion of high school, he joined Socony Vacuum (later Mobil Oil and The Wally’s Beach Site (DhPg8), near Cardston, ExxonMobil).
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