NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 341 



noid we have ever seen. If its arms were as long in proportion as those of 

 some other species of this group, they must have been near twelve inches in 

 length, and with its column, body and arms together, it may have been more 

 than four feet in height. It is evidently related to Barycrinus magister, Hall 

 (sp.), but differs from that species, the type of which is now before us, in having 

 its surface roughened by numerous small pustules, showing a tendency to run 

 together into vermicular markings, with an obscure effort, on some of the 

 plates, to assume a radiating arrangement. It is true, the typical specimen of 

 B. magister consists of only the basal pieces and a portion of the column, but 

 these basal plates show no traces of the peculiar surface markings seen even 

 on the base of our species, while we have before us, from the same original 

 locality', another specimen of that species, consisting of the whole body, in a 

 flattened and crushed condition, and, although the surface of its plates is well- 

 preserved, they show no indications whatever of the surface markings seen on 

 our species. 



Those who give a wide latitude to genera will probably not regard such 

 forms as this as being generically distinct from Cyathocrinus ; even if that view 

 should ultimately prevail, however, we should insist upon their separation as 

 a strongly marked subgenus, and continue to write the name of our species 

 Cyathocrinites [Barycrinus) magnificus. 



Locality and position. — Henderson county, near Biggsville, Illinois ; from the 

 Keokuk group of the Lower Carboniferous. 



Barycrinus Hoveyi, var. Herculeus. 



Amongst other Crinoids from Grawfordsville, Indiana, we have before us 

 several very large, fine specimens, agreeing well with Prof. Hall's description 

 of his Cyathocrinus Hoveyi (Bost. Jour. Nat. Hist. vol. vii, p. 293), excepting in 

 some important points in the structure of the arms. We suspect that these 

 specimens are specifically distinct, but as neither any measurement, nor figures 

 of the C Hoveyi, have j'et been published, we cannot feel quite sure of this, and 

 therefore place them, provisionally, as a variety of the species Hoveyi, under 

 the name Herculeus, which we propose to retain for the species if the differences 

 to be noted are found to be constant, and of specific value. 



The differences to which we allude are the following : In C. Hoveyi the arms 

 of the antero-lateral rays are said to " have the anterior division twice bifur- 

 cating, above which the divisions give off branchlets, and the same feature 

 marks the entire length of the lateral arm of the antero-lateral ray, which is 

 smaller than the other." In the specimens before us, the anterior lateral rays 

 have each the. posterior division bifurcating once near the base, while the ante- 

 rior division is simple, and larger, instead of smaller, than the other. Again, 

 the Hoveyi is said to have, " in the postero-lateral arms, the lateral division of 

 the rays bifurcating on the fourth piece, above which branchlets are thrown 

 off, as in the others." In the specimens before us, however, both arms of the 

 posterior rays are, like those of the anterior ray, and one of each lateral (or 

 anterior lateral) rays, simple from their origin on the third radials, very long, 

 stout, and give off along their inner lateral margins stout, simple armlets, al- 

 ternately at regular intervals. As we have seen several specimens all agreeing 

 in these characters, we are inclined to think this may be a specific difference. 



In one of the specimens before us the body measures 1-10 inches from the 

 base to the top of the first radials, and about 1-4U inches in breadth. The arms 

 show a length of 4 inches, and are broken at the ends, so as to appear to have 

 been, when entire, nearly one inch longer. They are very straight, nearly 

 cylindrical, and measure 0-22 inch in diameter near the middle, where each arm- 

 piece measures about 0"15 inch in length, and the lateral armlets nearly the 

 same in diameter. 



Genus NIPTEROCRINUS, Wachsmuth, MS. 

 {xiTrryifi, a washing vessel ; k/x'vov, a lily; in allusion to its basin-shaped body.) 

 Mr. Wachsmuth has proposed the above name, in manuscript, for a type 



1868.] 



