296 THE GEOLOGIST. 



waves at liigli tide. A happier party coiild lianlly be mot ^vitll than 

 the half-dozen hammerers who sat, in the August sunshine, on the 

 sea-shore, and knocked out the Oldhamias from the rocks, or watched 

 the seagulls fishing in the bar. 



The Cambrian d<'^] ' - v-ere long believed to be unfossilifen iu>, and 

 to represent a periu I lIlIs planet's history before the introduction 

 of life upon it. Yet we have now contradicting evidence in the 

 1 ; - ' i :':\-t'- all ! - M-Avranis in the Oldhamia beds " of a 

 1 . ^ I'lii 1.1 "i U. vririi rain-marks, on the old beach in 



the e'|iin';ilf'nt rocks of the Longmynds. Some of us thought that it 

 might be a mis-readinc;' of the geologic records to imagine the creatiA'c 

 fiat terminating for ages in sea-worms or Lingulas, or that no other 

 animal- li^-fl in tli'j ' ' ii.ibi-ian epoch liecaiise geologists have not yet 

 disL-DVcivj 1 tli-ii rciii.iii'. G-eologists knovr but little, as yet, of 

 Cambrian depc-^its au'l tJieir organisms. Every day the depths of the 

 j^resent seas are yielding new treasures to the dre'lger ; and genera 

 of animals supposed to lu? extinct appear to o^'ortlirow theories and 

 presumptions. 'We beli'-\'i' ii ^vould be wiser to wait a while, ere wc 

 talk of " eternal oceans," ■■ vra-tes of uninhabited shore," "tenant-less 

 Cambrian lanils/' or Canduian seas inlialuted solely by zoophytes, 

 fucoids, sea-worms, and a few triLjbitts. 



As far as the physical geolM_y ^vent, we thought the Bray beds A'ery 

 unsatisfactory, ■divl were ol'liged to rest content with the assurance 

 that they are >eeii t';« nibl-i l;!' nnconformably l^eds which may be the 

 cijuivalents of our Lin-ulu-iiags," to the west of Bray. 



It is impossible to say too much of the rich glow and litlending of 

 C' iL 'ur we Ijelield in thii^ bills < .f AVicklow diu'ing the Avalk of that 

 afternoon. The liili> Awre piii|ile and gold with the beautiful 

 bell-flowered heath and the yellow blossoms of the gorse. We 

 returned to Ditblm hv a lati- train, and, before ^^^^I'fiiic' ^^gi'*?<^^l- to 

 make that a red-letter (U:;\ Avhirh Ave passed among the "' Old- 

 hamia-schists " and iiower->pangled hills of Wicklow. Sitrely such 

 days should be marked, they are g'jlden hours in a man's life, 

 for which we are to be gratefid. He must liaA'e a hard heart who can 

 return home, after sitch a day. cherishing envy or uncharital3leness, or 

 Avho can pass hours among the nuljle worlds uf creation by tlie liold 

 sea, the rock of ancient days, under the clear sky and among bright 

 flowei^, without a feeling of gratitude towards Him whose wondrous 

 works they are, and who has given us the capability so deeply to 

 enjoy them. As for only philosophers enjoying these things, it is the 

 appreciation of them that elevates the man uito the philosopher — the 

 Itver of wisdom. 



{To he conl'iKued.) 



