120 THREE CRUISES OF THE "BLAKE." 



smooth stem, with a rounded pentagonal outline ; it is appa- 

 rently not common, having been dredged by the " Blake " only 

 at four localities. 



Khizocrinus (Fig. 411) has a stem composed of dice-box 

 shaped joints, terminating in a spreading root or a number of 

 branching rajdicular cirri, not arranged in definite whorls, with 

 a high calyx. It was first named by M, Sars, who afterwards 

 described it, in 1868, as belonging to the ApiocrinidaB. But 

 before the appearance of Sars's memoir, this interesting crinoid 

 had been rediscovered by Pourtales, and stated by him to belong 

 undoubtedly to the genus Bourgueticrinus of D'Orbigny, and 

 he gave it the provisional name of B. Hotessieri, thinking it 

 might prove identical with a crinoid of that name of which 

 fragments had been found in the recent limestones of Guade- 

 loupe. Pourtales was the first to make out accurately the com- 

 position of the cup, and he of course also recognized its identity 

 with the Rhizocrinus of Sars's memoir, R. lofotensis. Rhizo- 

 crinus has been dredged by the Porcupine, the Hassler, the 



onis, from disintegrated coral rock bot- and use them as hooks to catch hold of 

 torn, up came six beautiful 'sea lilies.' neighboring objects; and, on account of 

 Some of them came up on the tangles, their sharp extremities, the cirri are well 

 some on the dredge. They were as brit- adapted to retain their hold. The stem 

 tie as glass. The heads soon curled over, itself passes slowly from a rigid vertical 

 and showed a decided disposition to drop attitude to a curved or even drooping po- 

 off . At a haul made soon after we got sition. We did not bring up a single 

 more, and, being afraid to put so many of specimen that showed the mode of attach- 

 them in the tank together, I tried to ment of the stem. Several naturalists, 

 delude the animals into the idea that on the evidence of large slabs oontain- 

 they were in their native temperatures ing fossil Pentacrini, where no basal at- 

 by putting them into ice -waters This tachment could be seen, have come to 

 worked well, although some of tffe m be- the conclusion that Pentacrini might 

 came exasperated and shed some of their be free, attaching themselves tempora- 

 arms. They lived in the ice-water for rily by the cirri of the stem, much as 

 two hours, until I transferred them to Comatulse do. I am informed, however, 

 the tank. They moved their arms one by Captain E. Cole, of the telegraph 

 at a time. Some of the lilies were white, steamer " Investigator," that he has fre- 

 some purple, some yellow ; the last was quently brought up the West Indian tel- 

 the color of the smaller and more deli- egraph cable with Pentacrini attached, 

 cate ones." and that they are fixed, the basal extrem- 

 I have nothing to add to the general ity of the stem spreading slightly, some- 

 description of their movements given by what after the manner of Holopus, so 

 Sigsbee, with the exception of their use .that it requires considerable strength to 

 of the cirri placed along the stem. These detach them, 

 they move more rapidly than the arms, 



