The legend of John Phillips's "lost fossil collection"

Abstract

SUMMARY In the two parts of his work on the Geology of Yorkshire John Phillips figured and briefly described a large number of Jurassic and Carboniferous Limestone fossils, many of which were new species of considerable importance. It has been widely assumed that most of these type and figured specimens were stolen and irretrievably lost when Phillips took them on one of his visits to London. The various accounts which have been given of the loss have been accompanied by much, often conflicting, circumstantial detail. The true story of the episode, based on contemporary documents, is now recounted and an assessment is made of the extent of the scientific loss actually incurred.