Natural Science Forum / Biology / Paleontology / April 2005

I find these frequently in the creeks and along the Potomac River here
in southern Maryland. Sometimes small, sometimes large, like one the
size of my fist one time. I have no idea what they are, but I have been
told they are most likely a coral fossil of some sort. I'd be
interested in finding out how they got here - whether they were washed
down-stream from the mountainous areas to the north, or whether these
are the remains of what perhaps used to be a coral reef that once
covered this part of the country millions of years ago. They merely
show up in the rockbeds of the creeks, mainly, and are always worn.
Sometimes they come in brilliant colors. I included a scan of one of
the larger ones I have found at the link below:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Mieshie/paleontology/fossil.jpg