^^Microgeological Investigation (t/'Eozooh canaden.se." 421 



as Mineralogical : — " The same structure, and especiall}'- the 

 same structures together (as is admitted by Carpenter and hia 

 allies), occur neither in extinct nor in living organic creatures ; 

 but it is rather stated that the individual parts of the Eozoon- 

 structure are only to be recognized in different kinds of Fora- 

 minifera. This circumstance alone makes the proof very 

 doubtful " (p. 274). One would think that Dr. Hahn had 

 never heard of the Palaeozoic Gystideans^ which are referable 

 to no existing Order of Echinodeemata, but seem to have 

 combined some of the distinctive characters of each ; or of the 

 Paleozoic Graptolites, which, if Hydeozoa, differ essentially 

 from all existing types of that group; or of the Palasozoic 

 TrilobiteSj which cannot be referred with certainty to any 

 existing Order of Crustacea. And he seems quite unaware 

 that it is rather the rule than the exception for the early forms 

 of any type to present characters t/z, comhination, which are 

 later distributed among distinct groups. The Mammalia of the 

 Paris Tertiaries, and the great Fish-Lizards of the Secondary 

 period, long since furnished examples of this ; numerous 

 additional cases of it have been from time to time brought 

 into prominence by Prof. Owen ; and it had been pointed out 

 by Bronn as the usual order of Pala?ontological succession, 

 long before the " Evolution " doctrine furnished its probable 

 rationale. How familiar the idea has now become to Palae- 

 ontologists is evidenced by the currency which the term " syn- 

 thetic types " has gained among them. Hence \\\2ii Eozoon 

 combines characters which are separately met with among 

 several existing types, so far from " making the proof very 

 doubtful," rather furnishes an argument in favour of the 

 Foraminiferal nature of Eozoon. 



6. And, lastly, as Dr. Halm's account of the genesis of 

 Eozoon differs fundamentally from that of Profs. King and 

 Rowney, and as some of our own most eminent British Minera- 

 logists agree with Dr. Sterry Hunt in the conviction that no 

 conceivable combination of purely Mineralogical agencies can 

 account for the structural peculiarities of Eozoon, I venture 

 to assert that so far from Dr. Halm having succeeded in 

 proving (as he claims to have done) " that there is no gigantic 

 Foraminifer in Serpentine limestone," he has simply shown 

 how entirely inadequate Mineralogical investigation is per se 

 to settle the question. I am perfectly aware of my own 

 ignorance of much that Mineralogists and Petrologists can 

 adduce on their side. And I am not without hope that the 

 matter may be taken up judicially by a competent tribunal, in 

 which Mineralogy, Geology, and Zoology shall be adequately 

 represented, and the verdict of which will command general 

 respect. 



