4 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



fessors Dodorlein and Vanholfcii, sent mo the anlaictic collections brought together 

 bv the Gauss; Prof. F. Dofloin, through Prof. Doderlein, sent me his east Asiatic 

 malorial, and, Ihrougli the courtesy of Professors Kcehler, Max Weber and Vaney, 

 the Siboga coiloction of unstalkod crinoids was also assigned to mo for study. More 

 recently, thanks to the kindness of Prof. Bernard H. Woodward and Mr. Wilfrid B. 

 Ah^xandor, of the Western Australian Museum and Art Galierj-, at Perth, I have 

 been enabled to examine the crinoids collected off tlie coast of southwestern 

 Australia by the Australian steamer Endeavour. 



Thus in the preparation of this report I have met with the most cordial coop- 

 eration from all sides. Thanks to the great generosity of all my colleagues I have 

 been enabled to assemble in one place and to compare directly one with another 

 many thousands of specimens of recent crinoids, far more than ever were previously 

 reviewed by any one imlividual, including examples of practical!}' every kno\vn 

 species and a largo proportion of the existing types. This material has in many 

 cases been ample for the determination of such questions as the scope of individual 

 and of specific variation, and for the accurate delimitation of species, factors of 

 the greatest importance in the study of all animal groups, but impossible satisfac- 

 torily to determine except under the most favorable conditions. 



While the present work is a complete monograph of the crinoids living at the 

 present day, based upon the material preserved in practically all of the more impor- 

 tant museums of the world, it is equally a catalogue of the crinoids of the United 

 States National Museum, for my colleagues have been so kind as to permit me to 

 retam dui)licates from the collections under their care which I have examined, so 

 that the collection of the United States National Museum now includes, in addition 

 to the ver}' rich material gathered by the vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries, particu- 

 larly by the Albatross and Fi^h Hawk, and received from other governmental 

 sources, a vor\- large number of specimens, representing nimierous species, received 

 as donations from other similar institutions. 



GENERAL METHOD OF TREATMENT. 



The general method of treatment heroin adopted differs in certain important 

 respects from that employed by my distinguished j)redecessor and by all the other 

 students of this group. 



The study of the crinoids heretofore has invariably been approached from the 

 paloeontological \'iowpoint, the recent crinoids being considered as the impoverished 

 and decadent remnants of a once numerous and powerful class, the last forlorn and 

 pitiful exponents of a dwindling phylogonetic strain. 



During the 190G cruise of the Albatross I handled tens of thousands, of speci- 

 mens; several times I saw the forward dock of the steamer literally buried under 

 several tons of individuals belonging to a species exceeding any fossil form in size; 

 ovcrj-whore wo went wo found crinoids; we dredged tliem at ail depths. My ideas 

 of the comparative imiiortanco of the recent forms underwent a total change; 

 surely a group so abundant, even though very local and very unevenly distributed 

 over the soa floor, can not bo considered as decadent or degenerate. From my 



