ZOOPHYTES. 199 



is somewhat depressed, to the hexagonal septa. The stars of this 

 fossil nearly correspond with those of the specimen figured in Parkin- 

 son's Org. Rem. II, PI. V, Fig. 3; except that they present no 

 appearance of concentric circles. In a specimen of this kind from 

 Malton, the stars are very distinct on the upper surface, which con- 

 sists of chert or calcedony to the depth of about a line ; but the 

 interior of the fossil displays no vestiges of organization, being com- 

 posed of calc spar, in crystals of a singular form, each crystal being 

 nearly discoidal, with a sharp edge. 



Did our limits permit, we might notice a great many other 

 madreporites, occurring in the regular strata and in the alluvium. The 

 latter contains the greatest variety, chiefly in nodules of limestone, 

 which are often washed down from the cliffs, and are found rolling 

 on the beach. Several of these are susceptible of a fine polish, 

 displaying beautiful sections of the starry columns. In some of them, 

 tlie stars are not arranged into a system, so as to occupy the whole 

 matrix in regular compartments, but are scattered or straggling. 

 Even in some of these, however, Ave may perceive great beauty; as 

 in a specimen which the authors lately found at Sandsend, having 

 the rays of each star crossed by concentric circles, as in the Tran- 

 sylvanian fossil figured in Parkinson's Org. Rem. II, PI. V, Fig. 8. 



The madrepora arachnoides, or spidei'-stone, and the lithostrotion or 

 basaltiform madrepoi'ite, with several other species belonging to our 

 district, may be found described in the Scarborough Catalogue, a 

 considerable portion of which has been allotted to zoophytes. 



Whether any real alcyonites occur in our district, may be fairly 

 questioned. Several of the chert nodules in the oolite, formerly men- 

 tioned (p. 66, 67), have been allotted to that family. Some of these 

 nodules are pyriform or tuberose, others are shaped like a cucumber. 

 Specimens are found about 10 inches long, and 4^ inches thick. 

 Their cross fracture displays numerous small specks or dots, probably 



