Help Identify Fossil

[Tom Smedley]

I have a friend who owns a mini-warehouse. When a customer vacated a unit he left several of these ranging in size from 1 1/2 to 3 inches in length.

Can anyone identify what they might be??

http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/147/147015/folders/251319/2095084scan0003web.jpg

 

[Rick Murchison]

Bring 'em with you Thursday... my first impression is "seed" but my second impression is "???????????!"
Rick

 

[mikerault]

Ah yes, the rare prehistoric giant pistachio nut!

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

I'm going with a snail shell........

 

[james croft]

Sqeezed lemon?

 

[Rick Murchison]

I got to get my hands on one last Thursday.
I believe it's a seed, not fossilized, just very hard.
I'm still trying to find out what plant it came off of, but I'm pretty sure I've seen one before... my recommendation is to put it in water and see what we get!
Rick

 

[Walter]

I got to get my hands on one last Thursday.
I believe it's a seed, not fossilized, just very hard.
I'm still trying to find out what plant it came off of, but I'm pretty sure I've seen one before... my recommendation is to put it in water and see what we get!
Rick

There's a way to tell, but if it's not a fossil, it'll be destroyed. Hold a flame to it. A fossil won't burn. Non-fossilized animal tissue will smell like burning hair. A non-fossilized plant will burn, but the smell will depend on what it is.

 

[Rick Murchison]

There's a way to tell, but if it's not a fossil, it'll be destroyed. Hold a flame to it. A fossil won't burn. Non-fossilized animal tissue will smell like burning hair. A non-fossilized plant will burn, but the smell will depend on what it is.

Even easier than that, Walter... this thing floats
Rick

 

[Walter]

That would be a clue.

 

[CBulla]

Its a squid fossil.