The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-14
A Great Geological Discovery.

,he Anerlcan lar west, which is a regu-
lar metropolis for petrifed giants. The
present hoard has been found among that
range OF hills or uplands familiar TO
travellers who enter Scotland from the
south, which form barrier between the.
valleys of the border on the one hand
and the Scottish lowlands on the other
The belt of pastoral high grounds has a
special interest for the geologist he can
trace 1T back to its origin about the close
OF the Sllurian period and since the old
red sandstone, Notwithstanding submerg-
ence, elevation, and denudation. the
ridge has continued to form barrier be-
tween the basins on its northern and
southern margin. During every part of
the carboniferous period the southern
uplands of Scotland formed a barrier he
tween the lagoons of the lowlands and the
more open waters to the south which
spread over the north and centre of Eng
land. For some years past the Geologi
cal Survey OF Scotland has been engaged
in the detailed investigation of the car
boniferous rocks between the Silurian
uPlands and the English border. In the
course of the work one particular zone
OF shale on the banks of the River Esk
has been found to possess extraordinary
chronological value. From this stratum
where exposed for few square yards bv
the edge of the river, larger number of
new organisms has been exhumed bv the
Survey than has been obtained from the
entlre carbonlterous system of Scotland
Tor years past. AS whole, the remains
are In an excellent state of preservation.
Indeed, In some instances, they have
been so admirably wrapped up in their
matrlx of fine clay as to retain structures
which have never before been recognized
in fossil state.
The more important treasures from the
shales of Eskdale and Liddesdale are
hshes, crustaceans, and arachnids. DR..
Il. ID: Traquair, the eminent paleontolo-
glst, IN his report on the fossils, points
out the extraordinary interest of the col
lection, both as opening up an almost
entirely new fish fauna, and as revealing
remarkable peculiarities in the structure
Of many of the new forms. Out of
twenty eight species of ganoids, no fewer
then twenty, at least, are new. Of the.
sixteen genera in which these species are
five are now FOR the first time
added to science, of which one Tar
rasius) is altogether so peculiar that no
place can be found for it in any known
family. The common forms of the
Lothlans are conspicuous by their abb
sence In Eskdale and Liddesdale. These
facts suggest interesting problems in car
boniferous geography and in ancient
geological distribution. Associated with
the skeletons of the fishes are the remains
OF some new phyllopod and decapod
crustaaceans, which have been worked
out by Mr.. B. N. Peach, the acting
to the society. One Of
the most interesting features Of this great
lind, however, are the abundant and
often admirably-preserved specimens of
scorpions, which have enabled Mr.. Peach
to work out in detail the structure of this
interesting creature, the father of all
spiders, doubtless.
In anticipation of the publication of
Mr. Peachs descriptions, Professor Geikie
gives some notes on the subject. Mr..
Peach finds that these paleozoic forms
differ In no essential respect from the
living scorpion so far as regards external
organs. He has recognized in them
every structure of the recent form, down
even to hairs and hooks on the feet.
The sting alone has not been certainly
observed, but that it existed may be in
ferred from the presence of the poison
gland which Mr.. Peach has detected in
the fossil state. The chief difference be-
tween the living scorpion and its ancient
progenItors lies in the fact that in the
fossil forms the mesial eyes are much
larger In proportion to the lateral ones,
and also to the size Of the whole animal.
The two mesial eyes are placed on an
emlnence near the anterior margin of the
carapace formed by two converting
tubes, and so arranged that the creature
could look with them upward, outward,
and forward There are at least four
lateral eyes on each side. The mandi-
bles, palpi, and four pairs of walking legs
are beautifully distinct on many speci-
mems. The combs are much like those
OF the modern scorpion, but with very
remarkable sculpturing which at once
recalls that SO characteristic of the
Eurypterids. AS regards theories of
descent, these fossils afford no more help
In tracing the pedigree of the scorpion
than is furnished by the living form.
There can be little doubt that the scorp
ION is the most ancient type of arachnid,
whence the others have been derived.