174 HIDDEN BEAUTIES OF NATURE 



limestone the segments fall out in hundreds. These 

 are known in some districts as 'St. Cuthbert's beads.' 

 In the more durable kinds of this limestone, the 

 fossil forms may be seen in situ on any wet day 

 wherever the footpaths consist of this rock. (See 



A, % 39-) 



It was thought that the whole family of encrinites 

 had died out long years ago, but Professor Sars, of 

 Norway, succeeded in bringing up from the floor of 

 the North Sea a living representative, which greatly 

 astonished our naturalists, and which he called 

 Pentacrinus Wyville Thomsonii, after the famous 

 naturalist of the Challenger Expedition. 



Thus the study of the little rosy feather star leads 

 us to look back to geological times, and to see 

 its connection with mighty colonies of larger crea- 

 tures which have contributed in no small degree 

 to the formation of the rocks of the globe. Such 

 studies, while bringing out the hidden beauties of 

 Nature, must fill our minds with wonder and rever- 

 ence. 



