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“Frog Eyes”

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Pennsylvania’s State Fossil

Richard D. L. Fulton

Some 350 million years ago, “Frog Eyes” plowed through the mud and silt on the floor of an ancient sea that had then covered much of the area that would someday become the State of Pennsylvania.

Based upon the discovery of the fossilized gut contents of a related creature that once foraged the sea bottom in the Czech Republic, “Frog Eyes” likely sought out such morsels of food such as that provided by the presence of small, nearly microscopic, crustaceans. It’s likely that small soft-bodied sea creatures were on “Frog Eyes”’ menu as well.

While “Frog Eyes” became extinct some 300 million years ago, the creature’s “legacy” lives on as Pennsylvania’s state fossil… sort of.

Specifically, “Frog Eyes” was a sea creature presently known as a trilobite (derived from the fact that the shell, or carapace, of these animals was divided into three sections or lobes). Scientifically, “Frog Eyes” was given the name Phacops rana in 1832 by paleontologist Jacob Green.

Phacops rana literally translates into “frog eyes,” rana being Latin for frog, while phacops is Greek for lenses (referring to the eyes, which were comprised of many lenses, like that of a bee’s).

The fossils of Phacops rana are plentiful in Pennsylvania, where they lived during a period of time known as the Middle Devonian, the rocks of which in Pennsylvania are comprised of layers of dark shale and siltstones. Adults can range in size from about 3.5 inches to 5 inches.

Phacops rana was designated as being the state fossil of Pennsylvania by an act of the state General Assembly of the Commonwealth on December 5, 1988, a decree which stated, “Fossils of Phacops rana are found in many parts of Pennsylvania, and, therefore, the Phacops rana is selected, designated and adopted as the official State fossil of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania…”

 Seems straight forward enough, right? Maryland thought so back in 1984, when the Maryland General Assembly designated a prehistoric snail, Ecphora quadricostata, as the state fossil. Three years later, it was discovered they had designated the incorrect species of Ecphora as their state fossil, resulting in the state General Assembly having to redesignate the proper species, Ecphora gardnerae, as being the state fossil.

Presently, Pennsylvania’s state fossil is faced with the same enigma. Since Phacops rana was designated as Pennsylvania’s state fossil, it was subsequently discovered that the species is not even a member of the genus Phacops, but instead is a member of the genus Eldredgeops, which was named for paleontologist, Niles Eldredge.

Apparently, Phacops only occurred in Africa during the Devonian Period, and Eldredgeops is the proper generic name for the species that lived in the oceans that covered the Americas. As a result, Pennsylvania’s state fossil, Phacops rana then became known as Eldredgeops rana, which also resulted in the old name of “Frog Eyes” then becoming “Eldredge’s Frog.”

The name change reportedly occurred in the 1990s, when paleontologists evaluated the genus Phacops and Eldredgeops.

Apparently, Pennsylvania’s General Assembly didn’t get the memo. Unlike Maryland, the name change has yet to be reflected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and the erroneous name, Phacops rana, is still indicated as being the current state fossil on Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation & Natural Resources website.

If the reader might be interested in trying to find a specimen or so of Pennsylvania’s state fossil, a couple of references might prove to be of assistance in the quest (neither are in print, but both can be found online): Fossil collecting in Pennsylvania by Donald M. Hoskins, Jon D. Inners, and John A. Harper (the writer of ‘Frog Eyes’ – Pennsylvania’s State Fossil served as a consultant for this book, as indicated in the acknowledgments), and Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Mahantango Formation in South-Central Pennsylvania by R. L. Ellison.

Majo is on the Job with Thurmont Police

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James Rada, Jr.

Watching Majo jump around, waiting for Tim Duhan to throw a lacrosse ball, it’s hard to imagine that the nineteen-month-old German shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix is a trained law enforcement officer. On the job, Majo is all business, as he tests the air for the scent of hidden narcotics.

“He’s 100 percent a puppy still, and he’s also ball crazy,” said Duhan, a corporal with the Thurmont Police.

Majo is trained as a narcotics dog and has been on the job since September 2018. He came from the Czech Republic, and the Thurmont Police purchased him from Castle’s K-9 Inc., a company in Pennsylvania that imports and trains police dogs.

The town had a budget of $10,000 to purchase and train Majo, but the bill came out to be $12,600. However, the Humane Society of Frederick County donated $1,600 and Woodsboro Bank donated $1,000 to make up the difference.

“Another couple of agencies wanted to make him (Majo) a dual-purpose dog, but we got him first,” Duhan said.

Some dogs can also be trained as a patrol dog, besides smelling for certain scents. This “bite work” is left to dogs with a temperament for it and a reputation for being tough like German shepherds or Doberman Pinschers.

“The town didn’t want a dog that would bite, though,” Duhan said. “They wanted a social dog, and Majo is very social.”

Majo also does his police work well. So far, he and Duhan have been called out for scans three times, and drugs were found every time.

This comes from Majo’s daily training. Duhan not only exercises him, he trains him through scanning scenarios.

“With a dog like this, he should be doing some sort of drug training every day,” explained Duhan.

Majo takes over the position of canine cop from Buddy, a black Labrador retriever who was medically retired in May. He was running and playing when he injured himself in an accident.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Duhan said. “I saw him running down the yard and turned away for a moment. When I turned back, he was doing a somersault and hit a tree.”

Duhan rushed over to Buddy and discovered that the dog couldn’t get his front legs to work. He rushed him to the veterinarian for care. It was discovered that Buddy had permanent nerve damage to one of his legs, and it had to be amputated.

“He still could have done the job, but the town was unable to get insurance for him,” Duhan said.

Buddy still lives with Duhan, his family, Majo, and Duhan’s large Pyrennes. The dogs get along well, except they fight over toys like children. Duhan will still let Buddy do drug scans because the retriever likes the activity.

“He watches me do it with Majo, so I also let him scan,” Duhan said. “Even after being retired, I could probably certify Buddy now.”

Corporal Tim Duhan stands with Majo, a trained narcotics dog with the Thurmont Police Department.

Photo by James Rada, Jr.

Trinket or Treasure

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by Lisa C. Cantwell

Dear Reader: This is a column to help you determine the history and value of your heirlooms, attic finds, flea market purchases, or antique items. Please send a picture and description of your piece, such as how you acquired it and any details about its history, to tomandlisa@wildblue.net. I’ll research any item, whether it’s a piece of furniture, a painting, a tool, a doll, a figurine, or an article of clothing.  An approximate value will be determined to inform you if it’s a “Trinket or Treasure.” Please submit all pictures and questions by the preceding 15th of the month for possible publication in the next monthly issue of The Catoctin Banner. All inquiries will be answered; however, only those selected for publication will include approximate value assessments. Furthermore, not all submissions may be published in the Banner due to space considerations.  Please include your name or initials and where you reside. Thank you and happy treasure hunting!

“In 1995, we bought two of these plates at an estate sale in Beacon Falls, Connecticut. They were displayed on a mantle in this huge mansion that had been abandoned years before. A couple bought the house and sold most of its contents. We’ve always wondered where the plates were made and what they might be worth.”

— Jack and Holly O., Cascade, MD


Your plates are porcelain TREASURES and were made by Pirkenhammer, in what is now the Czech Republic.

The emblem on the backs of these plates, depicting crossed hammers and a crown, dates them between 1918 and 1939. This fine porcelain was first produced in Pirkenhammer, Bohemia, in 1803. During the 1830s, it was considered the best dining ware made and was very popular with royalty throughout Europe. In 1915, a beautiful floral pattern, gilded in gold with a navy background, was created for Pope Benedict XV. Searches of this particular pattern, numbered “4812,” yielded little, but a similar, older pattern was priced at $41.00 per plate on a popular bidding site. Expect this porcelain to value over time, but currently a reasonable price would be $20 to $30 per plate.

 


“I purchased this scale ten years ago at a yard sale in New Oxford, Pennsylvania. I never took the time to research it, but thought it was used to weigh nuts, bolts, and nails at a hardware store, or maybe even seed corn or beans? I date it to the late 1800s or early 1900s. What can you tell me about it?”

— T. Stover, New Oxford, PA

 

This is definitely a TREASURE, the research of which was quite challenging.

Your scale appears to be composed of metal with an iron base. It appears to have all but one of its weights. The original “bowl” that would’ve fit on the exposed four prongs is missing. A search of late 19th century English and European scales revealed two with handles and a swirl design on the bases, similar to yours, but there were no identifying marks. The photo of the “WB” etched on your scale suggests that it could be a WB Scott scale, which was a manufacturer in the USA at the turn of the last century. However, none of the Scott scales resemble this piece. The scale was most likely used in a store for candy, jewelry, or hardware items. Although it’s very fancy for a “general store,” it might have been used to weigh sacks of seeds. Your scale is in excellent condition. Based on its age and design, expect to get $175 to $250.

 

 

Victorian Glass Easter Egg

Keep an eye out this month in antique malls and flea markets for charming, old Easter eggs, made of paper mache,’ metal, clay, porcelain, and glass. Pictured (right) is one typical of blown, hand-painted eggs, found in homes during the late 19th and early 20th century. This particular egg dates from the 1920s, and its design is fading due to the fact that water colors were commonly used to decorate these eggs. Collectors aren’t too concerned about the condition of the decoration on the eggs, as a little distressing adds to the charm! This one measures 6 inches long and is 11 inches in circumference. These opaque eggs are holding their value and range from $15.00 to $45.00, depending on the size and condition. Consider a basket of them as a centerpiece at Easter dinner. Happy egg hunting!