294 COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SHOKE, 



part in creation, went to form the crust of the 

 earth on which man was to dwell, and leaving 

 their petrified figures in the limestone rocks, in 

 the mountain chains, traced there a history which 

 should be read by the thoughtful and intelligent 

 of future ages of mankind. 



Every one accustomed to examine collections of 

 geological specimens, or to roam about the regions 

 of limestone districts, must have seen the stony 

 remains of these extinct star-fishes, in their most 

 perfect state resembling the stem and flower of a 

 lily, and hence called popularly lily-stones, and by 

 the geologist termed Encrinites. The stalk is com- 

 posed of little lozenge-like pieces, resembling small 

 and nearly solid wheels, with a cinque-foil in the 

 centre, and the fragments of these are very 

 abundant. They are commonly called St. Cuth- 

 bert's beads, and old tradition had much to tell of 

 these and of some other common fossils. Some 

 fossils are still in the North of England popularly 

 called snake-stones, and petrified snakes, and stories 

 are yet in existence of which ancient tales 



"told 



How of a thousand snakes each one 

 Was changed into a coil of stone ;" 



while to the broken fragments of the star-fishes of 

 the older world belong legends to which Sir 

 Walter Scott alludes: 



" Nor did St. Cuthbert's daughters fail 

 To vie with these in holy tale ; 



On a rock by Lindisfarn, 



St. Cuthbert sits and toils to frame 

 The sea-born beads that bear his name ; 

 Such tales had Whitby's fishers told, 

 And said they might his shape behold, 



And hear his anvil sound ; 

 A deaden'd clang a huge dim form, 

 Seen but, and heard, when gathering storm 



And night were closing round." 



