66 Mr. J. S. Miller on Belemnites. 



sioned by worms or decomposition. On exposing one of these Belemnites 

 to the action of nitric acid,, to detect the animal gluten, I found to my sur- 

 prise that these markings were a siliceous insinuation, sometimes extending in 

 most delicate fibres between the crystals forming the laminas. These circular 

 figures on calcareous and siliceous shells are by no means uncommon ; and I 

 was pleased to detect them also in the sihcized Belemnites in Miss Benett's 

 collection. 



VII. Chemical Analysis of the Belemnite. 

 Acton found the species of Belemnite he analysed to contain 



45*55 carbonic acid 

 53-95 lime 



40 oxide of manganese and iron 



10 water and loss 



100 

 No alumine could be detected by succinate of ammonia. I have no doubt 

 that the different species of Belemnites would furnish different analyses, but 

 am at present prevented from going into these details. 



On immersing the Belemnite in diluted nitric acid, I detected the interlacing 

 animal matter exhibiting appearances similar to those in nacreous shells. A 

 stronger acid tore the fibres asunder, coloured the solution yellow, and evolved 

 a very pleasant smell resembling that of Cerambix moschatus. On scraping 

 or burning the Belemnite, it evolves a smell by no means unpleasant. On ex- 

 posure to fire, the crystalline laminae lose their water of crystallization, and 

 assume an opaque, white, fibrous, submargaritaceous appearance. 



In those early periods of science in which almost every substance of sin- 

 gular form was supposed to possess occult medical qualities, the Belemnite was 

 considered as a protector against several complaints. Dr. Woodward informs 

 us, that in Gloucestershire they use it pulverized in watery affections of the 

 eyes of the horse, by blowing it into them. It is also used internally in ne- 

 phritic cases. In Prussia they use it pulverized in the dressing of wounds. 



VIII. Conjectures on the Form of the Inhabitant of the Belemnite. 



There can be no room to hesitate in agreeing with Cuvier and Lamarck, 

 that the Belemnite belonged to the cephalopodous division of Mollusca. The 

 identity of structure in the chambered portion with the other genera of multi- 

 locular shells is alone sufficient to prove this ; and we shall presently find addi- 

 tional confirmation of the same fact. The cephalopodous division of Mollusca 

 consists only of two subdivisions, nearly allied to each other in the general cir- 



