118 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [DcC. 23, 



jnatrix. It was only under a favourable light that these smaller 

 tubes were visible, as the calcite in them was of the same crystalline 

 character as the surrounding network. This was conclusive evidence 

 of the structure not arising from the mere infiltration of one chemical 

 substance into another. Moreover such an infiltration would have 

 passed hetiueen the cleavage-planes, instead of running across them 

 as the Canal-system does. When cut, some specimens had given out 

 a strong odour of musk, which they to some extent still retained ; 

 this, again, seemed to be evidence of organic origin. The manner 

 in which the authors speak of the Canal-system and of the nummu- 

 line layer satisfied him that they have depended on the evidence of 

 decalcified specimens, and have not made themselves sufficiently 

 acquainted with the appearances presented by transparent sections. 

 If they had done so, they could not have continued to assert that 

 the nummuline layer is nothing else than chrysotile — the characters 

 of the two being totally different. Recent Eoraminifera, when de- 

 calcified, exhibited precisely the same asbestiform layer round the 

 chamber-cast as the fossil Eozoon. In the deep seas of the pre- 

 sent day, at various depths and temperatures, was a large ex- 

 tension of sarcodic substance ; and in this there were E-hizopods 

 with and without shells, but of similar low structure; and such 

 forms might have continued in existence through any length of time, 

 so that the occurrence of Eozoon so far down as Jurassic times could 

 aiford no matter for surprise. He should not be astonished even if 

 such a structure as Eozoon were found in deep-sea dredgings of the 

 present day. 



The Peesident mentioned the Batliyhiiis, which he has found 

 with coccolitbs and other forms in deep-sea soundings. In some 

 newer specimens of Atlantic mud given him by Dr. Carpenter he 

 had found Bathyhius forming a sort of network, somewhat similar 

 to the Plasmodia of botanists. He could not call it either plant or 

 animal. It was, however, a living substance, susceptible of appa- 

 rently indefinite growth. This removed one of the difficulties in 

 believing in the wide extension of the Eozoon. The Hydrographer 

 to the Admiralty had since sent him the soundings taken by Captain 

 Shortland in ' The Hydra.' In soundings from 2800 fathoms in the 

 Arabian Gulf Bathyhius was plentiful ; and over an area 7000 miles 

 long the same organism occurred in abundance. He agreed in 

 thinking it possible that such organisms might have gone on living 

 from the earliest geological times. 



In answer to Prof. E,amsay, the President stated that the sound- 

 ings in which the Bathyhius occurs alone, as analyzed by Dr. Frank- 

 land, contained 1^ per cent, of nitrogenous organic matter. 



