CHAPTER V.. Scenery of the Carboniferous Forests--Contrast in the

Scenery of the carboniferous forests--Contrast in the appearance of coal districts at the present day--Abundance of animal life in the Carboniferous era--Advantages of palæontology over fossil-botany--Carboniferous fauna--Actiniæ--Cup-corals--Architecture of the present day might be improved by study of the architecture of the Carboniferous period--Mode of propagation of corals--A forenoon on the beach--Various stages in the decomposition of shells--Sea-mat--Bryozoa--Fenestella--Retepora--Stone-lilies-- Popular superstitions--Structure of the stone-lilies--Aspect of the sea-bottom on which the stone-lilies flourished--Sea-urchins--Crustacea, their high antiquity--Cyprides--Architecture of the Crustacea and mollusca contrasted--King-crabs,