INTRODUCTION. xv 



Der Ban des Eozoon Canadense nach eigenen Untersuchungem 1878. 

 verglichen mit dem Bau der Foraminiferen. Prof. Karl 

 Mobius. (Besonderer Abdruck aus der Palseontographica 

 Bande xxv.) Abstracted in ' Nature/ vol. xx. pp. 272, 297. 

 Having ' ' investigated more closely and described more mi- 

 nutely its form and structure than any other naturalist," the 

 author wishes it to be understood that he has " successfully 

 eliminated Eozoon from the domain of organic bodies." For 

 obvious reasons we regret that Mobius has been led to make 

 these remarks, especially, (1st) as in our opinion he has com- 

 pletely failed in explaining the origin of the eozonal structures, 

 the necessity of which may be held to be of primary importance 

 in any attempt to overthrow their asserted organic origin, 

 (2nd) with respect to what he says in connexion with chrysotile, 

 we consider ourselves to have proved, in the earliest stage of the 

 discussion, that the ' ' nummuline layer " has resulted from struc- 

 tural modifications of this mineral, and (3rd) as his foraminiferal 

 arguments are little more than an amplification of a number of 

 vital points that were advanced by Mr. H. J. Carter and our- 

 selves long before he became a convert to his present views. 

 On the Microscopic Structure of Stromatoporidae, and on False- 1878. 

 ozoic Fossils mineralized with Silicates, in illustration of 

 Eozoon. Dr. J. W. Dawson. Quart. Journ, Geol. Soc. 

 vol. xxxv. pp. 48-66. 



The entire memoir is interesting in connexion with one of 

 the expressed subjects. We hold the stated facts, however, as 

 affording no crucial evidence in favour of " Eozoon." But we 

 are more directly concerned with the closing section (iii.) of the 

 memoir, treating of " Imitative Forms resembling Eozoon." 

 Of these one is a specimen from Gouverneur, St. Lawrence Co., 

 New York. " It presents thick bands of a peculiar granitoid 

 rock, containing highly crystalline felspar and mica, with grains 

 of serpentine ; these bands are almost a quarter of an inch in 

 thickness, and are separated by interrupted parallel bands of 

 calcite, much thinner than the others. The whole resembles a 



