HOW TO PREPARE FORAMINIFERA. 141 



cavities in the large nodules known as '' Paramoudras," * of 

 which a sketcli is here annexed. Paramou- 

 dras are masses of flint of a very irregular 

 ovoid form, (as irregular for size and shape as 

 potatoes,) in which are cavities of various sizes, 

 filled with chalk, which not unfrequently is in 

 the condition of powder ; like flour if dry, or 

 like grey clay, if wet. This powder contains 

 Foraminifera, Ostracoda, Sponge-spicules, bits 

 of corals, shells, etc., which, as a rule, are in 

 fine preservation. Properly speaking, the 

 siliceous " casts " of the Foraminifera are 

 what are generally found, the " cast " being 

 an exact reproduction in silica, or glauconite, 

 of the body as well as the shell of the animal, 

 coated over with a delicate film of lime of purest whiteness, — 

 probably all that remains of the shell of the little creature it 

 represents,— and marked with all the exquisite traceries which it 

 bore. What can we think of the plan recently recommended for 

 cleaning and separating these organisms from the sand, etc., among 

 which they occur, by shaking up the chalk-powder with water in a 

 bottle, the " gentle friction " of the particles one against the other 

 being nearly the most certain way of removing this film, and thus 

 utterly spoiling the specirnens for either investigation or preservation 

 in the cabinet ! I have tried it, and would warn anyone else from 

 doing so ; the plan is worse than useless. 



Having got some proper chalk-powder, if it is dry, the first 

 thing is to sift it through a rather coarse sieve, — zinc, perforated, 

 with holes one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter will do, — so 

 as to remove all the fine flakes of flint, which would cut the 

 gauze like lancets. If damp or wet, the powder may be washed 

 through this zinc sieve (under the tap) into the large sieve "number 

 one." Either way v/ill answer well, but after much experimenting, 

 I prefer first to dry perfectly, and sift dry. What will not pass 



* " Paramoudras. — Several of our flints assume curious and peculiar forms. 

 They are known as Paraynoudras from the following circumstance : — The late 

 Dr. Buckland, in one of his geological rambles in Antrim, seeing these flints for the 

 first time, was surprised at their curious form, and asked his guide what their name 

 was. The guide, who had previously been puzzled by the hard names the doctor 

 gave his geological specimens, determiined to coin a puzzler himself, and replied 

 that the flints were called Fayamoiidras ; and thus they were named by the Dean 

 of Westminster. (See Trans. Geo. Soc, London, Vol. iv.) 



The Paramoudras are somewhat cylindrical in form, from one to two feet 

 long, and from ten to sixteen inches in diameter. They usually have a hollow in 

 the centre, which sometimes passes through from end to end. In the quarry, the 

 Paramoudras stand on end ; and two, three, and even four have been found in the 

 chalk, one over the other, like a jointed column." 



(From " Belfast Naturalists' Guide to Belfast.") 



