i 



132 



RELICS OF PRIMEVAL LIFE 



m 



of the Survey, whose skill as a preparer of these and 

 other fossils has often clone good service to science. 

 A few days thereafter, some slices were sent to me, 

 and were at once put under the microscope. I was 

 delighted to find in one of the first specimens ex- 

 amined, which happened to be cut parallel to the 

 laminae, a beautiful group of tubuli penetrating one of 

 the calcite layers. Here was evidence, not only that 

 the calcite layers represented the true skeleton of the 

 fossil, but also of its affinities with the Foraminifera, 

 whose tubulated supplemental skeleton, as described 

 and figured by Dr. Carpenter, and represented in 

 specimens in my collection presented by him, was 

 evidently of the same type with that preserved in the 

 canals of these ancient fossils. Fig. 28 is an accurate 

 representation of the first seen group of canals pene- 

 trated by serpentine. 



On showing the structures discovered to Sir 

 William Logan, he entered into the matter with 

 enthusiasm, and had a great number of slices and 

 afterwards of decalcified specimens prepared, which 

 were placed in my hands for examination. 



Feeling that the discovery was most important, 

 but that it would be met with determined scepti- 

 cism on the part both of geologists and biologists, 



