INTRODUCTION. 7 
passed through the lime-kiln, it still retamed not only its 
form, but also some traces of its original colouring. It was 
sent to the Natural History Museum of the University of 
Edinburgh, where, I doubt not, it remains to this day. In 
the same limestone quarry I have gathered various Productz, 
Terebratule, Nucule, Spirifers, &c. Asaphus caudatus has 
occasionally been found, and a star-fish of the Ophiwra 
family. Encrinites are also there, and at times pretty 
Flustra-like zoophytes, as fresh on the rock as if their 
lacy web had been woven yesterday. The richness of this 
fossil deposit was first discovered by my lamented friend 
George Gardner, Esq., whose sudden death in Ceylon gave 
so much grief when he was rising to so great eminence in 
the scientific world. In one of our muscological expedi- 
tions he had separated from us for a little and wandered 
into the quarry. On returning to us he held up exultingly 
- some Zerebratule and a Trilobite, and to our eager inquiry 
whether there were any more of them, he replied, “ Abun- 
dance, they are just hotching.” A knowledge of Scotch 1s 
necessary to see the force and drollery of this expression. 
Our polished jambs and chimney mantel-pieces of our native 
marbles, owe much of their beauty to the remains of more 
magnificent zoophytes than are now to be found in our 
