11 



CHAPTER I. 



PROTOZOA OK THE COKNIKKK"IS LIMK>T<>.NK AM> HAMII.IHN FORMATION. 



The remain* of I'mtiwi in the < 'orniferous Limestone, though tint of a very varied nature 

 ure far from uncommon, and constitute quite a marked feature in the I, "\\.-r I>evmiian fauna 

 A'ith the exception i a -pecies of A //;//'<; and one or two undetermined forms they 



belong entirely to tin- enigmatioal i^enus N/V-, //(///, y</v/ or to a -. uu~ -ocl..-.ely allied to thi* as to 

 render any separation at present unadvisable. They may, with the greatest probability, be 

 resarded as belon_rin:_' to the Spongida : though the more typical I'urm.- >f pora 1. I 



not as yet been shown tn possess -"me of the more important oharaoten >f Spun<_ r e -.-tructur. 

 In all, I have detected one species of Astrcwspongia and five species of &'/n in the 



< Yirniferoii- Jjiinc-tdin- ..!' Wc-t'Tii Ontario, allot' the latter, with the exception of ,S. ''"/to 

 .1 (Gold.), lioin^c apparently new. 



1. ASTK;EOS1'ONOIA, Sp. 



A single specimen lias come under jn of spieul>- which clearly Ix-lon^ to a spooie* 



of Roao) 1 i- - -.-nil.-. . ,!'>!,, j'ui. Tip' >pii-ules are hex-radiate. t\vi> nf the r-'dii Kcin_' loii. 



than tlie otln-i-;, and each star having a diameter of alunit one line me.-i-urin- aOTOSB Ir.'in tl).- 

 extreiuitie- ni' npj.nMte riy-. Alon^ with the .starlike r.iys ar H-hers of :i -imply aeieulate 

 form. Nthiir_' hut detached spicules have been obtained, and 1 have no knowledge ><l' il 

 form of the >[ 



Spienle> >imilar to those of the present species occur not uncommonly in tin- Hamilton 

 Shales of (.'an-mdai-ua. in the Slate ..f New Vm-k. Mid hoth liav,- .1 gen mblanoe 



those ti-_Mir..-d hy Meek and \Vortlu-n, (Geology ;/ ////'//. >, Vol. III. I'l. H', !'!-. 6,) under the 

 name of./. // . They ;nv. Imwever, more si. nd.T and delicate in their pr>pi>rti. 



It i- .juite prohahle that nnr form is distinct ; hut, having men-lv such frajm. ntary r<'iii:iins 

 of it, I have not thought it advi-ahle t.i de-erihe it under a separate specific title. A. similar, 

 if not identical, form has also l>een described by Ucemer from tiie Upper Silurian of Tennesi 

 S Fauna, \\ n., p. 14.) 



/.- From the base of the ' 'mnilerons l.inie 'ri-kanv Sand 



etone ?) near \'n < lolborne. 



' B 'iiville.. 

 includes a niin:her of f doabtful affinities, which lri\. 



common character bi forming amorphous masses or extended sheets .<nd cru-i- c,.;n| 



dei laminii-. anan-ed in aucC( B the other, and -ep.-ir r 



:i"th'T hy minnic rertica] j.nips or pillur-. which he Inhu \ 



often, the -H, -,-,.. !\,. Lorn! . . found .in inrcjiir ill a co 



B In spherical, hemispheric. d, ,,r irre nl ir forms. In rl 



is i-xt.-nde i to form an expanded cup or in he, i. comj)Oscd, like the jinccdm.'. 



.ely -<\\- -rimpose,! l;im 



main i-l>-ineiii . I her, f,,n-. in the Structure of ^Jl -! I he only 



which all olis.-i \ , T- : ,|.|.. ., tHel Dull 



mv ii'ii in actual contact, Imi s,-|,:o ii.-d from one another b\ ii'i-mw in* 1'he 



Ue I iniin.-i- an- kept .ipari : 



At . , .ml divide tin- inter\ai into minii' , 



ra 1 



Hi 1 ! lire of .*>''. H .111,) lie cnlnpatil.;.- \\llh a -MM 



a t" I h' 1 I to the hill lie 



