“Eozoon Canadensa”

Abstract

ONCE more the long controverted point as to the organic origin of this remarkable body was brought before Section C at the meeting of the British Association at Liverpool, by that indefatigable naturalist, Principal Sir William Dawson, Montreal, and which, as on all former occasions when brought before a scientific audience, provoked considerable discussion both for and against. Amongst others, Prof. Bonney took part. There is one remark that he made, which I beg of you to allow me to emphatically contradict, i.e. that the late Dr. Carpenter had been deceived by the geologist who sent him sections of the specimens from the West Highlands of Scotland. It was the writer of the present note who sent the sections referred to, and he thought of contradicting the assertion of Prof. Bonney at the time, but conceived it would be a gross abuse of politeness, not only to Sir William Dawson, but also to the members of the Section, to take notice of a matter so foreign to the subject under discussion, and also from the conviction that Prof. Bonney must have been misinformed. This is like the old story of the three black crows which, from being black as a crow, got metamorphosed into three black crows, feathers and all. The correspondence with Prof. Carpenter and others is lying before me, but at present I shall simply give a copy of my own letter that accompanied the specimens, and which I hope will satisfy Prof. Bonney and others that there is no truth in the assertion that I deceived Prof. Carpenter, or any of the other naturalists who believed that the structure was of organic origin.