Queen of Hearts

Another trip to my favorite echinoid-quarry. Why it is my favorite ech-quarry? Well, there is always something to find and do and people to meet.

When they are not excavating the Cretaceous deposits themselves, they are often removing the overlying clay, sand and more importantly............. flint. This so-called flint-eluvium is the only remainder of eroded deposits of chalk that used to cover those that remain at present.

Large heaps of flint are set aside and later on sold, sometimes after first grinding the large chunks down to gravel-like pebbles. One one occasion, already a few months ago, I was scouring the heaps of flint when I noticed a newcomer. We got acquainted and both kept on searching together. After a while, the newcomer called me over to show me a Diplodetus bucardium; not perfect, but a huge specimen for this species. I walked over to him and admired in my hand. Then, looking past my feet, this beautiful and ever so elusive Cardiaster rutoti caught my eye; just lying there, face up among tons of flint. I still regret not having my camera with me for a ground-shot.

Not only the name, but also shape and color remind of a heart ..... my Queen of Hearts.