The most diverse fossil bed in the United States provides a unique picture of what life was like 34 million years ago. In the rocks of Florissant, Colorado, lying in the shadow of Pike's Peak, is the evidence of a long-lost world. Encased by the ash of volcanoes that erupted tens of millions of years ago, animals such as insects, fish and mammals were fossilized in the same deposits as flowers, trees and the delicate leaves of plants. This amazing collection of animals and plants from the same place at the same time provides a rare, uniquely comprehensive glimpse of life in the past. Through more than 200 colour photographs and vivid descriptions of the fossils, Herbert Meyer brings the fossils of Florissant, Colorado to life, not only providing background on the plants and animals, but also exploring the warm environment in which they lived. The site was once a treasure trove for palaeontologists who acquired the fossils for museums around the world; it is now protected as Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Meyers book reveals the beauty of both the site and its delicate fossils, and offers a compelling story of life long ago.