Some Salient Points in the Science of the EarthDawson, John William, Sir
Science
Some Salient Points in the Science of the Earth
Dawson, John William, Sir
Geology; Paleontology
[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Cross Section of the Specimen represented in
Fig. 8. The dark parts are the laminæ of calcareous matter converging
to the outer surface.]
About this time Dr. Hunt happened to mention to me, in connection with
a paper on the mineralization of fossils which he was preparing, that
he proposed to notice the mode of preservation of certain fossil woods
and other things with which I was familiar, and that he would show me
the paper in proof, in order that I might give him any suggestions that
occurred to me. On reading it, I observed, among other things, that
he alluded to the supposed Laurentian fossils, under the impression
that the organic part was represented by the serpentine or loganite,
and that the calcareous matter was the filling of the chambers. I took
exception to this, stating that though in the slices I had examined no
structure was apparent, still my impression was that the calcareous
matter was the fossil, and the serpentine or loganite the filling. He
said--"In that case, would it not be well to re-examine the specimens,
and try to discover which view is correct?" He mentioned, at the same
time, that Sir William had recently shown him some new and beautiful
specimens collected by Mr. Lowe, one of the explorers on the staff of
the Survey, from a third locality, at Grenville, on the Ottawa. It
was supposed that these might throw further light on the subject; and
accordingly Dr. Hunt suggested to Sir William to have additional slices
of these new specimens made by Mr. Weston, of the Survey, whose skill
as a preparer of these and other fossils has often done good service to
science. A few days thereafter some slices were sent to me, and were
at once put under the microscope. I was delighted to find in one of
the first specimens examined a beautiful group of tubuli penetrating
one of the calcite layers. Here was evidence, not only that the
calcite layers represented the true skeleton of the fossil, but also
of its affinities with the foraminifera, whose tubulated supplemental
skeleton, as described and figured by Dr. Carpenter, and represented
in specimens in my collection, presented by him, was apparently of the
same type with that preserved in the canals of these ancient fossils.
Fig. 7 is an accurate representation of the group of canals first
detected by me.
[Illustration: Fig. 7.--Group of Canals in the Supplemental Skeleton of
Eozoon. Taken from the specimen in which they were first recognised.
Magnified. (Camera tracing by Mr. H. S. Smith.)]
On showing the structures discovered to Sir William Logan, he entered
into the matter with enthusiasm, and had a great number of slices, as
well as decalcified specimens, prepared, which were placed in my hands
for examination.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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