ON COLLECTING FOSSIL CORALS. 277 
specimen of this kind that came under my notice, I dis- 
covered while breaking a mass of chalk, in search of fungi- 
form flints; when, to my great delight, I found the fossil, 
Lngn. 81, fig. 3, by which at once, and for the first time, 
was shown the connexion between the chalk specimens, ign. 
8, figs. 1, 2, and the flints figured in Lign. 8, figs. 2, 3, 6, 
7, 8. Upon showing this fossil to the quarrymen, and 
exciting their attention by suitable rewards, I obtained 
the illustrative series now in the British Museum.* Much 
light would be thrown on the nature of other zoophytes 
of the chalk that are invested with flint, if due care were 
taken in the collection of specimens, and they were examined 
before extracted from the rock. Loose, delicate specimens, 
whether from the chalk or tertiary strata, should be affixed 
with strong gum-water to cards, or pieces of thin board, 
covered with coloured paper. 
The Greensand Spongites, Siphonize, &c. may often be 
extracted from the rock tolerably perfect, by a well-directed 
blow of the hammer; but fragile species should be left at- 
tached to a block, and the surrounding stone be carefully 
chiselled away, so as to expose the most essential characters. 
The Faringdon zoophytes are, for the most part, encrusted 
by an aggregation of minute polyparia, shells, and detritus, 
which may be partially removed by washing with a stiff 
brush, and their cavities cleared with a stout penknife, re- 
moving the extraneous matter by chipping, not by. scraping, 
or the surface will be injured. In this manner the beautiful 
specimens figured, ante, p. 228, were developed. 
The Corals in the hard limestones can seldom be chiselled 
out to advantage ; for the most part, polished sections best 
exhibit the form and structure of the originals. 
Weather-worn or water-worn masses of coral limestone 
often display the structure of the zoophytes of which they 
are in a great measure composed, in a beautiful state of 
* Petrifactions, Room VI. p. 466. 
