54 THE OPEN BOOK OF NATURE 
of their jelly-like bodies in long thread-like rays. 
These rays are called pseudopodia—.e., false feet. 
There are many species of these Foraminifera, for so 
they are called, the term coming from two Latin 
words meaning “ hole-bearing.”” The rocks bear 
abundant fossil remains of these creatures; you 
can trace them from the Ordovician Period up to 
the most recent deposits. We may boast of our 
long occupancy of the world, but the life of the 
human race is hardly worth mentioning in com- 
parison with the long history of the foraminifera. 
The race of these tiny animals has survived all sorts 
Fig. 8.—NUMMULITES LH/VIGATUS (MAGNIFIED). 
Fossil foraminifer from Eocene rocks. ‘The stone of which the 
Great Pyramid is built is composed mainly of fossil nummulites. 
of changes, and has endured when more powerful 
creatures became extinct. The majority of the 
houses in Paris are built of a limestone which is 
nearly all fossil foraminifera, and the same can be 
said of the stones used in building the Pyramids of 
Egypt. Think of the countless number of the 
skeletons of these animals—skeletons not much 
bigger, and often not so big as a pin’s head—which 
must be contained in a small block of such rock. 
Secure a piece of chalk just as it is gathered from 
its native place, and gently crush it to powder. ‘Tie 
the powder up in calico, just as if you were going to 
make a pudding of it. Get a basin of water, put 
