REPORT ON THE CRINOIDEA. ill 
Upon examining the two collections of the “Blake” and the Challenger, I found that 
they contained some half dozen species of which no figures had been drawn at all; so 
that several additional plates would be necessary in order to illustrate them adequately ; 
while diagnoses were wanted of nearly thirty specific types, most of them being 
undescribed, and some representing new genera. 
The preliminary study of these various forms in their zoological aspect alone occupied 
a good deal of time; but having a strong conviction that they could only be properly 
understood by the help of a detailed knowledge of their fossil representatives, I was led 
to take up the study of the fossil Crinoids, more especially those of th Sevondary end 
Tertiary periods. This naturally brought up the question of the relation between os 
Neocrinoids and the Paleocrinoids, which had already been occupying my ‘ioughts for 
some time past. 
Besides these paleeontological questions, many others presented cticimselves oi a 
morphological nature; and I have endeavoured to obtain such a knowledge of the 
morphology of recent Crinoids as would be of substantial aid in the interpretation of the 
many puzzling forms among their fossil representatives, and also bring out their relation 
to the other Echinodermata. Many others have been at work upon the same lines, with 
varying opportunities and different degrees of success. Very much, however, still 
remains to be done, more especially with regard to the finer details of microscopic 
anatomy, which can only be thoroughly investigated in individuals specially prepared for 
the purpose when quite fresh. In this way alone is it possible to obtain series of sections 
of the requisite thinness and perfection of histological detail ; and I would therefore ask 
those who may be disposed to criticise my figures to remember that the preparations 
were mostly made before the introduction of the Jung or Caldwell microtomes, from 
material which had been in spirit for periods varying from two to fifteen years. 
Several morphological and one or two systematic works upon the Crinoids have 
appeared during the passage of this Report through the press ; and I have therefore added 
an Appendix which contains a series of notes discussing the various questions to which 
those works relate. Reference is given to these notes in the text, so that this first part 
of the Crinoid Report may be regarded as presenting an epitome of our knowledge of 
Crinoid structure up to the end of the present year. 
The second part of the Report, containing descriptions of the Comatulz collected 
by the Challenger and “ Porcupine,” will be published as soon as ever the necessary 
plates can be drawn, and the manuscript revised, parts of the latter being now more than 
five years old. 
Of the sixty-nine plates accompanying Part I., twenty-eight were drawn at Edin- 
burgh under the direction of Sir Wyville Thomson. Five others illustrating the 
structure of Pentacrinus wyville-thomsoni were prepared by Mr. George West to 
accompany a memoir upon this type, commenced some years ago by my father, who has 
