38 THE DAWN OF LIFE. 



to that time^ was published_, under tlie name of the 

 Geology of Canada, and in this^ at page 49, will be 

 found two figures of one of the Calumet specimens^ 

 here reproduced^ and which^ though unaccompanied 

 with any specific name or technical description, were 

 referred to as probably Laurentian fossils. (Figs. 8 

 and 9.) 



About this time Dr. Hunt happened to mention to 

 me, in connection with a paper on the mineralization of 

 fossils which he was preparing, that he proposed to 

 notice the mode of preservation of certain fossil woods 

 and other things with which I was familiar, and that 

 he would show me the paper in proof, in order that 

 he might have any suggestions that occurred to me. 

 On reading it, I observed, among other things, that 

 he alluded to the supposed Laurentian fossils, under 

 the impression that the organic part was represented 

 by the serpentine or loganite, and that the calcareous 

 matter was the filling of the chambers. I took ex- 

 ception to this, stating that though in the slices before 

 examined no structure was apparent, still my impres- 

 sion was that the calcareous matter was the fossil, and 

 the serpentine or loganite the filling. He said — " In 

 that case, would it not be well to re-examine the speci- 

 mens_, and to try to discover which view is correct V 

 He mentioned at the same time that Sir William had 

 recently shown him some new and beautiful specimens 

 collected by Mr. Lowe, one of the explorers on the 

 stafi" of the Survey, from a third locality, at Grenville, 

 on the Ottawa. It was supposed that these might 



