190 



THE DAWN OF LIFE. 



not known to occur independently of the forms of Eozoon 

 except in fragmental deposits. 



14th. The argument is not that they are " occasionally found 

 together in ophite," but that they are found together in speci- 

 mens preserved by dijQferent minerals, and in such a way as to 

 show that all these minerals have filled chambers, canals, and 

 tubuli, previously existing in a skeleton of limestone. 



15th. The lamination of Eozoon is not like that of any rock, 

 but a strictly limited and definite form, comparable with that 

 of Stromatopora. 



16th. This I pass over, as a mere captious criticism of modes 

 of expression used by Dr. Carpenter. 



17th. Dr. Hunt, whose knowledge of chemical geology 

 should give the greatest weight to his judgment, maintains 

 the deposition of serpentine and loganite to have taken place 

 in a manner similar to that of jollyte and glauconite in un- 

 doubted fossils : and this would seem to be a clear deduction 

 from the facts he has stated, and from the chemical character 

 of the substances. My own observations of the mode of oc- 

 currence of serpentine in the Eozoon limestones lead me to 

 the same result. 



18th. Dr. Hunt's arguments on the subject, as recently 

 presented in his PajJers on Chemistry and Geology, need 

 only be studied by any candid and competent chemist or 

 mineralogist to lead to a very difierent conclusion from that of 

 the objectors. 



19th. This is a mere statement of opinion. The fact re- 

 mains that the chambers and canals are sometimes filled with 

 calcite. 



20th. That the occurrence of Eozoon in crystalline lime- 

 stones is " utterly fatal " to its claims to organic origin can be 

 held only by those who are utterly ignorant of the frequency 

 with which organic remains are preserved in highly crystal- 

 liue limestones of all ages. In addition to other examples 

 mentioned above, I may state that the curious specimen of 

 Coenostroma from the Guelph limestone figm^ed in Chapter YI,, 

 has been converted into a perfectly crystalline dolomite, while 

 its canals and cavities have been filled with calcite, since 

 weathered out. 



