470 Archaia. 



Serpulites splendens (N. s.) 



Description. — This fine species is seven or eight inches in 

 length and about one fourth of an inch in thickness at the larger 

 extremity, usually gently curved, and gradually tapering appa- 

 rently to an acute point ; the surface beautifully ornamented with 

 fine transverse stripe, of which there are ten or twelve in the 

 length of one line. The colour of the shell is jet black and 

 shining where the surface is preserved. The specimens are usually 

 imperfect, and are sometimes found spirally twisted. 



Mr. Hunt has ascertained that they are composed largely of 

 phosphate of lime. 



This species is much like Serpulites longissimus (Murchison), 

 but not so much curved. 



Locality and Formation. — Island of Montreal, and at Caugh- 

 nawaga. 



Collectors. — Sir W. E. Logan, E. Billings. 



ARTICLE XXXY. — Archaia ; or Studies of the Cosmogony 

 and Natural History of the Hebrew Scriptures. By J. W. 

 Dawson, LL.D., F.G.S., Principal of McGill College; 

 Author of Acadian Geology. Montreal : B. Dawson & Son* 

 London : Sampson Low, Son & Co. With an Appendix, 

 pp. 406. 



We hail the publication of this book as the beginning of a new 

 period in the Literary History of Canada. 



The works that have hitherto been issued from our press have 

 almost entirely pertained to historical and other questions of either 

 local or provincial importance. Some of these have undoubtedly 

 been of a high order of merit and have redeemed our country 

 from the charge of literary barrenness. So far as Civil, Geogra- 

 phical and Natural History is concerned, we are not behind the 

 ago in which we live. We have added something to the sum of 

 human knowledge in these departments, and our fame has reached 

 the high places of European and American Science. In polite 

 Literature we may not yet have contributed much that claims the 

 attention of the civilized world, still we have done enough to 

 show that the germs of literary life exist among us ; and as this 

 i species of letters is rather the inflorescence, than the first growth 



