535 



deal with the commencing growth of an Eozoon, or merely with a con- 

 cretionary mass ; since the granular structure of the scapolite centre 

 could never be clearly made out. Moreover, the arrangement of these 

 nodules, arranged in a stratified manner, is opposed to the notion that 

 they are nuclei of Eozoon."* Now, here is a case (and Dr. Giimbel 

 failed, evidently much against his inclinations, in determining it to be 

 organic) which indisputably furnishes a " combination, "manifesting the 

 mineral origin of the " creature of the dawn" so plainly that this 

 u organism" must be altogether repudiated by every palaeontologist ; for 

 obviously the case is a beautiful example of pseudomorphism and allo- 

 morphism combined, — of scapolite changinginto serpentine, and the latter 

 assuming the form of chrysotile (the " shell-like structure"), — while the 

 "tubuli" and "canals" are probably metaxite, or some allied mineral, 

 originating directly from the serpentine, or the scapolite. 



It is stated by Dr. Giimbel as being " well known that the crystal- 

 line minerals, which in numerous localities are found in the metamorphic 

 limestones of Bavaria, often present rounded surfaces, as if they had at 

 one time been in a liquid state. As examples of these, Naumann men- 

 tions apatite, chondrodite, hornblende, pyroxene, and garnet. The edges 

 and angles of these are often rounded ; the planes curved or peculiarly 

 wrinkled, and only rarely presenting crystalline faces ; having, in short, 

 a half-fused aspect, and offering a condition of things hitherto un- 

 explained. One of the best known instances of this is found in the 

 green hornblende (pargasite), from Pargas in Finland."! Dr. Sterry 

 Hunt has lately drawn attention to the same superficial features, occur- 

 ring in certain minerals from the calcareous veins intersecting the 

 Laurentian rocks of Canada. J When preparing our former Paper, we 

 were forcibly struck with the resemblance of the outside of the grains 

 in the Pargas and Tyree marble to the rounded and pitted surfaces, cha- 

 racterizing the acervuline " chamber casts" in " eozoonal" ophites. 



Dr. Sterry Hunt, repudiating the idea put forward by some writers 

 that the phenomenon, as seen in veins, is " due to a commencement of 

 fusion," regards it " as the result of a partial resolution of previously 

 formed crystals." The opinion published antecedently by ourselves as 

 to the origin of the flocculent coat often seen on the granules of serpen- 

 tine in " eozoonal" rocks is substantially the same ; for we have ascribed 

 the presence of this covering, as well as the " nummuline layer," to the 

 gradual waste or decomposition of the serpentine by deep-seated hydro- 

 thermal action ; and we are disposed to think that the distinguished 

 chemist of the Geological Survey of Canada will yet see reasons for 

 agreeing with us by extending this idea to explain the origin of the 

 irregular surfaces of the so-called " chamber casts" occurring in 

 4 'eozoonal" rocks, as well as those of the crystalline minerals found 

 in the metamorphic limestones of Bavaria and other countries. 



* " Canadian Naturalist," December, 1866, p. 90. 



f " Canadian Naturalist," December, 1866, pp. 97, 98. 



+ "Canadian Naturalist," December, 1866, p. 124 ; " Geology of Canada," 1866, 

 p. 190. 



II, I. A. PEOC. — VOL. X. 4 B 



