ART. 15 THE FOSSIL CRINOID GENUS VASOCRINUS KIRK 6 



laily pentagonal; arms five; single; composed of cylindrical pieces; anal piece 

 one; hexagonal; largo; summit unknown; column unknown. 



VASOCRINUS VALENS Lyon 



(Plate IV, Figures 3, 3(7) 



Basal pieces, five; low, broad; pointed at their summit; .swelling at the base; 

 forming a shallow cup, with perpendicular sides; bottom slightly concave; 

 superior margin divided by obtuse points into five broad, shallow, angular 

 notches; the base articulates with the column by a surface marked by striae, 

 radiating from a small circular opening. 



Radial pieces, five; smooth; subhexagonal ; differing slightly in size; higher 

 than wide ; rising between the basal pieces. 



Secondary radials, five in number ; smooth ; pentagonal ; nearly twice as wide 

 as high ; the median line of these pieces are nearly horizontal ; the truncated 

 face, for the insertion of the arms, elliptical, concave, perforated near the 

 center, deeply sulcate above the perforation ; the sides are joined together, 

 curving upward and terminating on the summit between the arms ; the piece 

 on the left of the anal piece is much larger than either of the others, and covers 

 the points of two of the radials, whilst that on the right of it is smaller than the 

 othei's and rises from the point and left side of the primary radial, beneath it. 

 The anal piece is large, subhexagonal, rising between two of the primary radials, 

 and extends above the lower margin of the axillary face of the second primary 

 radials. 



Arms composed of cylindrical pieces, their length and diameter being nearly 

 equal ; perforated and deeply sulcate on the superior side. 



Dimensions : 



Diameter of the base 0. 45 inch. 



Height of the base 0.27 inch. 



Height of the body 0.55 inch. 



Greatest diameter 1.05 inches. 



Diameter of the axillary articulation 0. 27 inch. 



Remarks. — This remarkable crinoid was obtained several years since at the 

 quarries on Beargrass Creek, near Louisville, where it was found associated 

 with Actinocrinus, Dolatocrinus, etc. It is very rare — this specimen is the only 

 one of this species heretofore obtained. 



VASOCRINUS SCULPTUS Lyon 



(Plate IV, Figures 3&, 3c, 3d, 3e) 



Body small ; vase shaped ; section at the junction of the arms pentagonal ; side 

 of pentagon above the anal pieces nearly twice as long as either of the others; 

 the surface is roughened by raised sculpture; the center of the pieces below the 

 arms are all prominent. On either side of the sutures marking the junction of 

 the basal pieces is a raised rib, which terminates at the center of the first 

 radial pieces lying above the sutures. Similar ribs cover the body, extending 

 from near the center of each to the center of all the contiguous pieces (except 

 the basal pieces), thus dividing the surface into nearly equal-sided triangular 

 spaces, deeply depres.sed at the center, and curving up to the ribs which define 

 them ; at the end of the ribs the triangular spaces are joined by a narrow 

 grooved avenue, not quite so deep as the center of the spaces. 



