Organic and Inorganic dtangesofVarlieYia. 53 



certain fossilized Forarainifera (o/>. et I. c.) I had not observed 

 that similar spherules were equally abundant in the inter- 

 stices of the ccenenchyma of Parkeria, and that they evidently 

 passed from the " scarlet " state into that of " pyrites ; " while 

 the apparently " granular " composition which they presented 

 both here and in the Foraminifera could not be ascribed to 

 any previous organic, but to some subsequent mineralogic 

 structure, wherein the granular appearance on the surface had 

 in all probability been produced by the facets of the ends of 

 the radiating pillar-structure of which spherical ])yrites is 

 composed. 



Still, altliough the " opaque scarlet spherule " may be of 

 general occurrence and merely a mincralogical form of iron 

 (for I think I have seen such in trap-agates which certainly 

 cannot possess any fossilized organic structure), yet the fact 

 of these bodies in fossilized Foraminifera being confined to the 

 " chambers and canals " — as a colourless or wliite fossilization 

 of another species of Foraminifera, viz. Orhitolites [Orbitoides^ 

 D'Orbigny) ManteUi, Carter, just ground down for the pur- 

 pose, has still further confirmed — indicates that there must be 

 a connexion between the " scarlet spherules^' and something 

 in the sarcodiferous cavities which led to their formation. 

 Then certainly follows the question, What was the form of 

 that " something," and did it lead to the spherical form of 

 the " scarlet spherule," or is this only a natural consequence 

 of the increase in size of a particle of iron destined in its 

 growth to assume this form ? 



Such reflections are engendered by further research into the 

 nature of the " scarlet spherules," for, however great the con- 

 nexion may appear to be between certain contents of the 

 sarcode in the chambers of living Foraminifera — which in this 

 state is generally charged with spherical cells of a similar 

 form that have been proved by M. Schultze (' Annals,' /. c. 

 p. 177) to herepj-oductive bodies — and these "scarlet spherules" 

 in a fossilized one, it is impossible in the present state of our 

 knowledge to disregard the fact without being influenced by 

 its contingencies in the opinion that should be formed of the 

 nature of these " spherules." 



Of course "brown haematite," of which, under another 

 colour, these spherules are composed, is extremely common 

 in all kinds of fossils ; but the question here is. Why should 

 it be confined in the Foraminifera to their sarcodal cavities, 

 and there look so much like the " reproductive bodies " which 

 are found in the same position in the living animal ? 



