1897 - 98 .] Rocks from the Antarctic Regions . 67 
granites and vein-quartz may indicate the existence of these rocks 
in Dundee Island. There was a piece of tuff which was probably 
carried from some other islet or coast-line. One of the most 
interesting of the specimens was a smoothed pebble of red jasper. 
On wetting it and examining it with a lens, I detected what 
appeared to be traces of Radiolaria. The specimen was accord- 
ingly submitted to Dr G. J. Hind, E.R.S., who was so good as to 
supply the following description of it : — 
“In thin sections of the stone the radiolaria appear as clear 
translucent bodies, of circular or elliptical outlines, ranging in 
diameter from ‘11 mm. to ‘33 mm. As a rule, no structural 
characters are preserved, and, when magnified, the margins of 
these bodies are seen to be only indefinitely marked off from the 
reddish cloudy matrix. In some instances, however, the margins 
are dentate or with short projecting spines, and occasionally there 
are traces of a wall with alternate light spaces in it representing 
the perforations in the test. Most of the forms appear to have 
been simple spheroids or ellipsoids with a single test, but in some 
an inner test was likewise present. Elongate spines or rays project 
from the surfaces of some forms, hut they are very imperfectly 
shown. In one or two rare cases, where the section has passed 
near the outer surface of the test, the perforated or lattice-like 
structure, characteristic of these bodies, can be distinguished. 
“ The preservation is too poor for certain identification of genera, 
but the common Cenosphcera, Carposphcera, and Cenellipsis are 
probably represented, as well as others. 
“In addition to radiolaria, sponge spicules are present in this 
rock, and some evidently belong to Hexactinellids. Ho other 
organisms can be recognised. The rock is evidently of radiolarian 
origin.” 
The similarity of this radiolarian jasper to the cherts and jaspers 
of radiolarian origin, now so well known from older Palaeozoic 
rocks in different parts of the world, suggests the possibility of the 
existence of rocks of high antiquity either on Dundee Island or 
* within the ice-shed of that region. But the specimen itself fur- 
nishes no satisfactory evidence of its geological age. 
The other specimens were placed in Mr Teall’s hands for petro- 
graphical examination. As, however, additional material was 
