Protozoa — Foramini f era . 
89 
Class 23.— Foraminifera. 
The Foraminifera* have the body protected by a shell or 
test, composed of carbonate of lime, or it may consist of 
particles of sand cemented together, whilst others have a horny 
or chitinous covering. 
The body may be simple or may repeat itself indefinitely 
by budding. The sarcode composing the animal’s body gives 
out long thread-like pseudopodia, which often unite to form a 
continuous layer of sorcode outside the shell. The pseudopodia 
reach the exterior either by perforations in the walls of the shell 
or simply by an opening in the last chamber. 
The Foraminifera are generally divided into two great 
primary divisions, namely, the Perforata and the Imperforata. 
In the former the shell is perforated by more or less numerous 
psendopodial foramina. In the latter the shell is not perforated, 
and may be arenaceous or “ porcellanous.” 
The Imperforata include the Miliolida forms, which range 
from the Trias to the recent seas, and the Lituolida , which 
commence in the Carboniferous period. About 17 genera are 
represented.” 
The Perforata include five families: the Globigerinida, so 
abundant in the Atlantic ooze, and also in the English Chalk, as 
to have led some writers to speculate on the Chalk-formation 
being identical with the modern deep-sea ooze in its mode of 
origin. The T extul ariidce , the Potalidce , and Lagenidce , dating 
back to the Carboniferous and represented by many genera. 
Lastly, the great group of the Nummulitida], which in 
Carboniferous times built up vast masses of limestone in Russia, 
Centra] Europe, Armenia, India, China, Japan, and the United 
States, almost composed of Fusulina ; and the Nummuhtes , which 
in Tertiary times played so conspicuous a part in building up 
the solid framework of the earth’s crust, whether in Europe, 
Asia, or Africa. 
The great Nummulitic Limestone often attains many 
thousands of feet in thickness,' and extends from the Alps to 
the Carpathians, and is in full force in North Africa, both in 
Morocco and Algeria. In Egypt it was largely quarried during 
the early dynasties for the building of the Pyramids. 
It occurs also in Asia Minor and Persia ; thence it stretches 
to India, and from the passes of Cabul to Eastern Bengal and 
I he frontiers of China. 
With this family is also included the much-disputed Fozoon , 
met with in the Lower Laurentian Limestones of Canada. 
* The Foraminifera have been Catalogued by Professor T. Rupert 
Jones, F.R.S., and published by order of the Trustees. 
Foramini- 
fera. 
Gallery, 
No. 10. 
Wall-case, 
No. 9, and 
Table-case, 
No. 16. 
Globig-erina. 
Fusulina. 
Nummu 
lites. 
