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CHAPTER II. 



FOSSIL CORALLINES. 



Regarding another group of fossils (named after 

 Professor Oldham), geologists have long been in 

 doubt as to whether they were animal or vegetable. 

 OldJianiia is called a zoophyte^ an unfortunate de- 

 signation, which often conveys to many people the 

 idea that such objects are partly animal and partly 

 vegetable. The name was originally intended to ex- 

 press only their external resemblances to plants ; but 

 it is constantly twisted to signify a hybrid combination 

 of animal and vegetable characters. The Oldhamia — 

 the fossil about which I am now speaking — has been 

 alternately regarded as a seaweed and a zoophyte. 

 Mr. Salter thought that possibly it was a calcareoits or 

 limy seaweed, like the common Corallina officinalis^ 

 which may be found abundantly in every rock-pool at 

 low water. The latter is undoubtedly a seaweed ; but 

 its limy structure and jointed stem caused it to be 

 regarded by the earlier naturalists as a Coralline ; 

 whence its name. Professor Edward Forbes believed 



