YI. — The Crinoidea of the Lower Niagara Limestone at 

 Lockport, N. F., with New Species. 



BY EUGENE N. S. RINGUEBERG. 

 Read April 14, 1890. 



That the lower portion of the Xiagara Limestone represents a 

 period favorable to the existence of great multitudes of the echino- 

 dermata, the profusion of their fragmentary remains gives abundant 

 proof; especially during the time indicated by the band known as 

 the Lockport Enerinal Marble, which is almost entirely made up in 

 places of disconnected plates, columns, and other portions of their 

 calcareous skeletons. 



But conditions conducive to their preservation entire were not 

 present; the deposit being too gradual, giving time for the decay of 

 the organic connective portions, with the sub.sequent separation of 

 the more indestructible parts ; so that while many species, and quite 

 a number of genera are known to have flourished, by the remaining 

 evidence of their plates, but few present enough material to base 

 species upon. 



Among the genera may be noted Caryocrinus, Gomphocystites, 

 Heterocystifes, Glyptasfer, Icthyocrinus, Calceocrinus, Periecho' 

 crinus, Lyriocrinus, Dimerocrinus, Lecanocrinus, Catillocrinus, 

 Eucalyptocrinus, Macrostylocrinus, and some others, the last four 

 of which are known to be represented by two or more species, but 

 few of these, after years of careful search, have yielded enough con- 

 nected evidence to prove identity or to warrant description. 



In manv instances in which the calvx or the entire individual 

 remains intact, the fossil has so nearly the same consistence as the 

 matrix, and the union between the two is so intimate, that it is 

 almost an impossibility to separate or clean them satisfactorily, and 

 only in a small portion of the layers are the components favorable 

 to successful weathering. 



While not enough is presented in most cases for specific determi- 

 AuNALs N. Y. Acad. Sol, V, July, 1890. 



