/ 



>P3b 



il 



li 



1>10 



Caniidian Juronf of Scictire. 



This curious fossil was clest'riltod wiili some other Carbon- 

 iferous forms in tlie liei)ort of the Peter Kedimth Museum 

 for lSS;5,iiU(l as that ])uhHcatioii is not very <;'enerally 

 accessible, the (lescri})tion may be repeated here: — 



Mi'(j(i)^friiiiut /(DiiiiiosiDii, l)ii\vs(jn. 



" liroad' expanded layers about one millimetre in thick- 

 ness, and two millimetres or more apart. Each layer 

 consists of a doultle nu'ml)rane, beset with numerous s])i- 

 cules pointinu' inwards and looking like two brusiu's facing 

 each other. The mendmiiu^s are })enetrated by openings 

 or oscula, and a])i)ear lo be jxtrous or reticulate in llieir 

 substance and to have cellular thickenings in })laces, 

 giving them a netted ajipearance. The layers sometimes 

 thouuh rarelv unite, and are not alvvavs continuous when 

 seen in section : this appearance being perhaps })roduced 

 by large ojx'nings or spaces, in each layer the ends of 

 the opposing sjiicules are .sometimes in contact, sometimes 

 separated by m space, .n))ty or lillod with calcite. The 

 intervals between the layers are occulted by oiganic lime- 

 stone, consisting of small shells and fragments of siiells 

 antl corals. As many as twelve or thirteen layers are 

 sometimes sujjerimposed, and their horizontal extent 

 seems to amount to a foot or more. The layers havt; a 

 deep lirown colour, while the enclosing limestone is of a 

 ligiit gray tint. 



" This remarkable botly was found in the fo.ssiliferous 

 limestone of Ih'ookHeld, in patches ])arallel with the 

 stratification, and at first sight resembled a coarse Sfrotna- 

 topora. AVhcn sliced and examined under the microscope, 

 it presents the appearance above described. Tiu; mem- 

 branes refened to, from their dee[) brown coloi', would 

 seem to ha\e been of a horny or chitinous character. They 

 are sometimes bent and folded, as if by ])ressure, and 

 ajijiear to ha\e i)een of a flexible and tough consistency. 



