174 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



although the place which, as zoophytes, they occupied 

 in the animal kingdom was low, yet they were con- 

 structed with a perfect adaptation to that low estate ; 

 and in this primaeval perfection they afford another 

 example at variance with the doctrine of the progres- 

 sion of animal life from simple rudiments through 

 a series of gradually improving and more perfect 

 forms to its fullest development in existing species. 



The multiplicity of parts entering into the com- 

 position of the framework of one of these now almost 

 extinct productions would indeed be incredible had 

 we not ocular demonstration of the fact in every 

 geological cabinet. 



Mr. Parkinson states that, after a careful examina- 

 tion, he has ascertained that, independently of the 

 number of pieces in the stem, and which from its 

 length are undoubtedly very numerous, the fossil 

 skeleton of the flower-like head of the Lily-encrinite 

 (Encrinites moniliformis) consists of at least 26,000 

 pieces ; and if we were to take into the account the 

 minute calcareous plates interwoven with the integu- 

 ment covering the abdominal cavity, and spreading 

 over the inner surface of the rays and pinnules, this 

 number must be surprisingly increased ; and yet even 

 this unheard-of multiplication is simplicity itself 

 when compared to what is met with in other species 

 now lying before us. 



The number of joints in the arms and tentacula of 

 the fossil Briarean Pentacrinite (Pentacrinus Bri- 

 areus) amounts to at least a hundred thousand ; and 

 if to these we add fifty thousand more for the ossicula 

 of the side arms, which is much too little, the total 



