XXXIV INTRODUCTION. 



mitted in describing the structure of the Foraminifera (we speak 

 advisedly), holds a position in microzoology which justly 

 entitles him to take rank as one of its very highest authorities. 

 He does not, however, think it unbecoming to charge us with 

 having, in our contest against Eozoonism, " betrayed a shocking 

 state of ignorance of foraminiferal structure " although, on 

 the same page, as it were, in which this charge is preferred, it 

 is too evident, from what is stated of the "parallel tubulation" of 

 Nummulites Icevigatus in comparison with that of " Eozoon Cana- 

 dense" that he is far from being an infallible authority in his own 

 speciality. This must have been made palpable to himself, on 

 reading our paper " Eozoon examined chiefly from a Foramini- 

 feral Standpoint." Hence this " Final Note/' When, in his 

 endeavours to set aside our remarks on certain ' ' foraminiferal 

 impossibilities/ 5 Dr. Carpenter talks about believing what he 

 sees with his "mind's eye, rather than with" his "bodily 

 eye/' and considering his inability to comprehend that the 

 truism {t there is no end to the possibilities of Nature " does 

 not teach the fallacy that Nature indulges in impossibilities, 

 it is evident he was feeling that his discussion with us was 

 becoming a hopeless task. What we say are impossibilities of 

 the kind are : a <c canal system " abutting directly against the 

 under and attached side of the " proper wall/' instead of passing 

 out to the surface of the organism ; and the " tubuli " of the 

 "proper wall "'frequently lying horizontally against, or parallel 

 with, instead of standing perpendicularly on, a presumed 

 " chamber " *. Other cases of the kind could be adduced. 

 It is a folly attempting to get over these things by 

 * Dr. Carpenter, in answer to this objection, urged by Mr. H. J. Carter 

 (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 4th ser. vol. xiii. p. 192), states that the horizontally 

 of the tubuli has its " precise counterpart " in Nummulites Icevigatus ; and 

 in evidence of his statement he gives a figure, copied from MM. D'Archiac 

 and Haime, of the tubulation of this foraminifer, and another of the pre- 

 sumed homologous structure in " Eozoon Canadense" Dr. Carpenter, how- 

 ever, who of course cannot be accused of " shocking ignorance of Fora- 

 miniferal structure," was not aware that what he took to be ( ' tubulation of 

 Nummulites Iceviyatus " is actually the fibrous mineral (asbestine) structure 

 of calcareous " solid pillars," as shown in our last-cited paper. 



