96 BihliograpJiical Notices, 



Springer state, however, that the anal plate of G raphiocrinus * is 

 *' placed between the radials, resting upon the truncate upper side 

 of the posterior basal." I cannot understand why the American 

 species presenting this character were referred by them to Graphio- 

 cnnus rather than to Phialocrinus, to which they are scarcely 

 inclined to afford even a subgeneric rank. Messrs. Miller and 

 Gurley arc fortunate in having found the " proboscis" so well pre- 

 served in Phialocrinus {zEsiocrinus) mcvjnijicus and P. Harii, as it 

 has not hitherto been properly known in this genus ; and the bifur- 

 cating proboscis of the former species which is figured on their 

 plate ii. is an abnormality of much interest. 



A third equally doubtful genus is Delocrinus, if. & G., its type 

 being Poteriocrinus Jiemisphcericus, Shumard, while the authors also 

 refer to it Cyathocrinus injlexns, Geinitz, these being the same two 

 types which White united under the name Ceriocrinus. But " in 

 the ' North-American Geology and Pakcontology ' 8. A. Miller con- 

 demned Ceriocrinus of White on the ground that the name was 

 preoccupied " by Ivceuig. Had he carried his literary researches a 

 little further, however, as others of his countrymen have done, he 

 would have learnt, firstly, that Ceriocrinus, Koenig, is only a 

 synonym of MiUericrinus, and, secondly, that it was iiever described 

 nor formally published. Ceriocrinus, White, is therefore a good 

 genus, as already recognized by Wachsmuth and Springer, and 

 Delocrinus, M. & G., only an unnecessary synonym f. 



Abrotocrimcs, as descril)ed by Miller and Gurley, is a somewhat 

 remarkable type. The calyx is bowl-shajjcd and dicyclic, with a 

 ])cntamcrou3 base and apparently five radials, for there is no mention 

 of any other number. In line with the radials is a " first azygous 

 plate," of the same form as they have, which rests upon the upi)er 

 sloping sides of two basals, and further resembles the radials in being 

 " horizontally truncated tlie entire width above and having a gaping 

 suture ; second azygous plate constricted in the middle and hori- 

 zontally truncated on top ; above this numerous plates form a single 

 longitudinal series until they graduate into the proboscis.'' Wo 

 are elsewhere told, however, that only ten of these plates are 

 visible " before the series is covered by the overlapping arm on the 

 right." 



The above description is a little difficult to follow ; for it is not 

 easy to understand how six e{[ual and similar plates (five radials 

 and one azygous ])late) can rest in the depressions formed by the 

 sloping upper sides of five contiguous basals. Throe basals are 

 shown in the figure of the azygous side, and also portions of three 

 radials with the azygous plate, all four of which alternate regularly 

 with the basals. The opposite side of the cup must therefore be 

 remarkably unsymmetrical ; ])ut not a word is said about this in the 



* " llcvisiou of the Pnlieocrinoidoa, Part III.,'" Vvoc Acad. Xut. Sci. 

 Philiid. l^^t;, p. 17(5. 



t The ubovo pani^^rapli has of course boon written on the suppusition 

 that a generic name which has once boeu proposed, tliouLrh not adopted, 

 may be used again with a new signification. 



