434 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [DeC. 



NOTES ON SOME POINTS IN THE STRUCTURE 

 AND HABITS OF THE PALAEOZOIC CRINOIDEA. 



By F. B. Meek aud A. H. Worthen, of the State Geological Survey 

 of lUiuoic;. 



Repriuted from the Proceedings of the Academy of 27atural Science, 

 Philadelphia, ]869, p. 323* 



Through the kindness of Mr. Charles Wachsrauth, of Rur- 

 linoton, Iowa, we have recently had au opportunity to examine 

 some unique and exceediniily interesting specimens of Carboniferous 

 Crinoids, showing parts of the structure of these animals, in some 

 instances, never before observed, so far as we are at this time 

 informed. In a few instances, these specimens show internal 

 organs entirely free from the matrix, and although like all the 

 other solid parts of these curious creatures, composed of numerous 

 calcareous pieces, really surpassing in delicacy of structure the 

 finest lace-work, and so frail that a touch, or even a breath, might 

 almost destroy them. Some of these specimens we propose to 

 notice here, but, before proceeding to do so, we avail ourselves of 

 this opportunity to express our thanks to Mr. Wachsmuth for 

 the zeal, industry, skill aud intellig^'nce he has brought to bear, 

 in collecting and preparing for study, such an unrivalled series of 

 the beautiful fossil Crinoidea of this wonderfully rich locality. 

 Some idea of the extent of his collection of these precious relics 

 may be formed, when we state that of the single family Actijio- 

 crinidce alone, after making due allowance for probable synonyms, 

 he must have specimens of near 1.50 species, or perhaps more, 

 and many of them showing the body, arms and column. 



It is also due to Mr. Wachsmuth, that we should state here 

 that he is not a mere collector only, but that he understands what 

 he collects, and knows just what to collect, as well as bow to 

 collect. 



Below we give substantially some notes of observations made 

 in his collection, followed by some remarks on other specimens at 

 Springfield : 



1. S^nbathocrinus, Phillips. Some of Mr. Wachsmuth's speci- 



* For further observations on the subject of this important paper, see 

 the notes of Dr. Lutken and E. Billings, in this vol. pp. 267 aud 427. 



