60 MICROSCOPICAL OBJECTS FOUND 



distinguished from the residuum obtained on crush- 

 ing the common Madrepora muricata ; I have 

 little doubt but that they have been largely derived 

 from the disintegration of the hard calcareous 

 corals, existing species of which abound in the 

 stratum. But, along with these we find Rotalise, 

 Marginulinse, and Miliolites. 



In the newer Pliocene deposits of Sicily, 

 we obtain similar evidences of a slow organic 

 accumulation, only in a more marked degree. 

 Rotaliee, Textillariai, Miliolites and small corals, 

 (Escharinse and Celleporinse) in a perfect state, 

 are still more abundant, whilst in a fragmentary 

 form they constitute a considerable portion of 

 the mass. Along with them are some siliceous 

 sponge spicula, spines of Echinoderms, and a few 

 calcareous granules, probably derived, as before, 

 from the hard corals and larger shells.* The 



■f Amongst these Sicilian deposits Ehrenberg found some 

 strata containing multitudes of the so-called siliceous Infusoria, 

 along with Foraminifera ; and, from the apparent identity 

 of the latter with species found in the Chalk, he concluded, 

 contrary to the views of most other geologists, that the Ter- 

 tiary strata of Sicily, were in reality Cretaceous. This erro- 

 neous opinion, however, he has since withdrawn. 



