142 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



heads of cod-fish flung aside by the fishermen, and the mouths of 

 rivers and streams are paved with them on their way to the spawn- 

 ing ground. 



A very singular fossil puts in an appearance in the lower green 

 and red Clinton shales here. Although I discovered it a quarter of 

 a century ago, I believe it remains as yet undescribed. I submitted 

 it for examination to several Palaeontologists, both on this continent 

 and Europe. The general opinion seems to be, that it represents the 

 track of something as yet unknown. One gentleman in the old country 

 states, " it reminds me of such an impression as a beetle may make 

 pursuing its way over a muddy shore." Now we have no evidence 

 that such a thing existed until the Jurassic Age, that is, as far as I 

 know. Contrary to the almost unanimous opinion, the late Mr. 

 Billings supposed it to be organic, and he mentioned he had seen 

 something not unlike it in still older rocks (Cambro-silurians). I 

 noticed it usually occurs entangled as it were, among the branches 

 of sea plants. I have always held the same view as the one enter- 

 tained by the late Palaeontologist of the Canadian Geological Survey, 

 as regards its organic nature. I considered it may have been a 

 species of nemertes possessing a body which admitted of partial fos- 

 silization at least. This necessitates, however, an explanation of the 

 absence or disappearance of the outer skin. It also requires the 

 production of any instance where the more durable parts of an 

 annelid is shewn to be internal not external — that I admit is a diffi- 

 culty. We are merely groping in darkness now, " children seeking 

 for light," as the Rede lecturer at Oxford recently said. We know 

 'not how soon the veil may be drawn aside that conceals many a 

 secret of Nature yet involved in obscurity. 



Sir W. Dawson kindly furnished me with a paper recently 

 published in " The Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society," en- 

 titled " Burrows and Tracks of Invertebrate Animals in Palaeozoic 

 Rocks and other Markings." In this Sir William refers to the im- 

 pressions from the Clinton beds of Hamilton. In a few cases you 

 may remark I appear to hold a different view. Well, while the dis- 

 tinguished veteran Palaeontologist states that there is confessedly 

 some difficulty in separating the marks known as " phymatoderma " 

 from fucoids, and even the stems of coniferous plants. I may claim 

 pardon if I have expressed an erroneous opinion in some instances. 

 I do not for a moment doubt that marine worms, as stated by Sir 



