There are many earnest labourers in this difficult field, and it will be the object of the writer in the following pages to do justice to their work as far as known to him, as well as to state his own results.

J. W. D.

CONTENTS

I
PAGE
The Chain of Life Traced Backward in Geological Time[3]
II
Life in the Early Cambrian[17]
III
Pre-Cambrian Life[47]
IV
Foundations of the Continents, and their General Testimony as to Life[79]
V
Probabilities as to Laurentian Life, and Conditions of its Preservation[107]
VI
The History of a Discovery[125]
VII
The Dawn of Life[147]
VIII
Contemporaries of Eozoon[193]
IX
Difficulties and Objections[221]
X
The Origin of Life[245]
XI
Some General Conclusions[281]

APPENDIX

A.Geological Relations of Eozoon, etc.[295]
B.Organic Remains and Hydrous Silicates[298]
C.Affinities of Eozoon, etc.[303]
D.Cryptozoon[310]
E.Receptaculites and Archæocyathus[315]
F.Pre-Geological Evolution[320]
G.Controversies respecting Eozoon[324]
H.Notes to Appendix, December, 1896[329]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG.PAGE
Cryptozoon Boreale[Frontispiece]
Map[xvi]
1.Olenellus[20]
2.Triarthrus[23]
3.Hymenocaris[27]
4.Ctenichnites[32]
5, 6.Archæocyathus[35]
7, 8.Cryptozoon[37], [39]
9.Fossils in Lower Cambrian Boulder[41]
10.Section Hanford Brook[51]
11.Worm Tracks[53]
12.Pre-Cambrian Fossils[54]
13.Arenicolites and Aspidella[54]
14.Cryptozoon[56]
15.Worm Burrows[67]
16.Casts of Foraminifera[68]
17.Tudor Eozoon[69]
18.Laurentian America[85]
19.Map of Grenville Limestones[88]
19A.Attitude of Limestone, Côte St. Pierre[91]
20, 21.Disturbed Beds[103]
22.Section of Limestone[113]
23.Silicification of Coral[113]
24.Cast of Polystomella in Glauconite[115]
24A.Crinoid and Shell in Glauconite [116]
25.Nature-print of Eozoon[121]
26, 27.Eozoon from Calumet[130]
28, 29.Canals of Eozoon[133]
30, 31.Canals and Tubuli[135]
32.General Form of Eozoon[149]
33, 34.Eozoon with Funnels[152], [153]
35.Small Specimen and Structure[155]
36.Decalcified Eozoon[157]
37.Finest Tubuli filled with Dolomite[158]
38.Arrangement of Canals[159]
39-41.Finest Tubuli[160-2]
42.Canals after Möbius[163]
43.Stromatocerium[172]
44.Stromatopora[173]
45.Cœnostroma[174]
46.Recent Protozoa[176]
47.Fragmental Eozoon[183]
48, 49.Nummulites and Calcarina[186]
50, 51.Archæospherinæ[190], [200]
52.Acervuline Eozoon[205]
53, 54.Archæospherinæ[205], [208]
55.Ditto, Finland[212]
56.Eozoon Bavaricum[213]
57.Archæozoon[215]
58.Restoration of Eozoon[230]
59.Eozoon in Different States[237]
60.Nature-print of Large SpecimenTo face [296]

Click on map to view larger sized