112 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. ix^ 



understood. It is to be observed, however, that in the study of 

 such fossils as Eozoon, tlie observer must expect that only a 

 small proportion of his specimens will show the structures with 

 any approach to perfection, and that comparison of many speci- 

 mens prepared in different ways may be necessary in order to 

 understand any particular feature. A single figure or a short 

 description may thus represent the results of days spent in the 

 field in collecting, of careful examination and selection of the 

 specimens, of the cutting of many slices in different directions, 

 and of much study of these with different powers and modes of 

 illumination. My own collection contains hundreds of prepara- 

 tions of Eozoon, each of which represents perhaps hours of labor 

 and study, and each of which throws some light more or less 

 important on some feature of structure. The results of labor of 

 this kind are unfortunately very liable to be regarded as sub- 

 jective rather than objective by those who arrive at conclusions 

 in easier ways. 



Taken with the above cautions and explanations, the memoir 

 of Professor Mobius may be regarded as an interesting and use- 

 ful illustration of the structures of Eozoon, though from a point 

 of view somewhat too limited to be wholly satisfactory. — Amer, 

 Journal of Science and Ai'ts, March^ 1879. 



The following notice of the Memoir on Eozoon hy Prof. 

 31dhii(s, referred to in the above paper, is from the ^^ Annals and 

 Magazine of Natural History Society^' for April, 1879. 



The author first enumerates the published memoirs on Eoozon, 

 and states how he was led to look specially into the matter, having 

 met with his Carpenteria rhaphidodendron, of Mauritius, which 

 at first sight he thought would present some striking analogy to 

 the presumed Laurentian fossil. The sources whence he obtained 

 Eozoonal preparations and the methods of examination are also 

 mentioned. The form and size of Eozoon, as recognized by 

 Dawson and Carpenter, and their comparison of its structure 

 with that of certain Foraminifera. are given in some detail ; 

 also the shape, size, and arrangement of the serpentina! bodies 

 ("chamber-casts," ".concretions," &c.), their connexion, and the 



