Dawson — On Eozoon Canadense. 
117 
of projection had been even more distinctly visible during the partial 
phases succeeding totality. 
These observations have been generally confirmed by Professor 
"Watson, Director of the Ann Arbor Observatory, United States, with 
- a 4-in. Alvan Clarke refractor. 
I noticed further that the limb of the sun was slightly tinged with 
tawny brown (rather yellowish) to a distance inwards of about 1', no 
colour being perceptible along the contour of the moon, which was 
then about half-way on the face of the sun. 
It may be noticed, in addition, that Messrs. Brett and Watson paid 
particular attention to the mode of formation of the Baily Beads, which 
were seen to be due solely to the interruption of the contour of the 
sun by the tops of the lunar mountains. 
Mr. Brett watched carefully for any traces of a lunar atmosphere, 
as evidenced by the blunting of the solar cusps or change of figure of de- 
tails of spots while undergoing occultation, but he reports that there 
was no trace of either phenomenon, the cusps, especially, appearing as 
sharp as needles. I am happy to be able to record my entire concur- 
rence in the second of these observations, but, as to the first point, 
the sharpness of the cusps, I am compelled to say that at no time 
while I was observing with Mr. Brett's instrument did they appear abso- 
lutely sharp, the points seeming always to be slightly and very slightly 
blunted. This is not necessarily to be taken as evidence in favour of 
a lunar atmosphere, for the roughness of the limb would tend to pre- 
vent perfect sharpness of the horns of the crescent. 
XIX. — l^OTE 0^ EozooN Canadense. [In reply to Professors King and 
KowNEY.] By J. W. Dawson, LL. D., P. R. S., Principal of 
M'Gill College, Montreal. 
[Read Febuary 13, 1871.] 
Thuough the kindness of the authors, I received last summer a copy 
of a paper on the fossil above named, contributed to the Eoyal Irish 
Academy by Professors King and Powney, and reiterating their already 
often refuted objections to its animal nature. Though reluctant to 
waste in controversy time of which I have much too little at my dis- 
posal for the many subjects of original investigation open to me in this 
country, I think it necessary, in the interest of truth, to ask permission to 
place on record, in the ''Proceedings" of the Society which has published 
Professors King and Eowney's Paper, some of my reasons for dissenting 
from their conclusions, and some of my objections to their mode of 
treating the subject ; referring, however, to my former reply contained 
in the Journal of the Geological Society of London, for August, 1867. 
1. I object to their mode of stating the question at issue, whereby 
they convey to the reader the impression that this is merely to account 
for the occurrence of certain peculiar forms in Ophite. 
With reference to this it is to be observed that the attention of Sir 
William Logan, and of the writer, was first called to Eozoon, by the 
