196 



about seven in number; and although their continuity appears to 

 have been broken, their number may be pretty correctly ascertained 

 at the other end, where they are seen contracted together, and having 

 their terminations adorned with fimbriae of a plumose appearance. Al- 

 though by no means assured of the real nature of this fossil, I have 

 thought it right to place a sketch of it before you, since the observa- 

 tions of others may correct the opinion I entertain respecting it. It 

 may not, however, be amiss to remark, that I have seen forms on the 

 polished surface of the Derbyshire marbles, which, I think, bear an 

 exact resemblance to that of the substance which is here figured. 



The pear-like shape of this encrinite would seem to direct the best 

 term by which this species might be distinguished ; but an encrinite 

 to be hereafter described offers an equal claim to be denominated the 

 pyriform encrinite. Besides which consideration, there is another of 

 some weight. The pelvis of the encrinite now under examination, has 

 much of the form of a cap, whilst that of the encrinite which we shall 

 next examine, is so much more elegantly formed as rather to resem- 

 ble a turban. To distinguish these two, it therefore seems well to 

 term the former the CAP ENCRINITE, and the latter the TURBAN 

 ENCRINITE ; whilst that, the pelvis of which is pjriform, appears best 

 to deserve the denomination of the PEAR ENCRINITE. 



In several parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire marble formed of en- 

 crinal remains are found in very considerable quantities ; but whether 

 this encrinite is the same with the cap encrinite of Derbyshire, I am 

 incompetent to determine, the Yorkshire encrinite being only known 

 to me by its vertebrae. With the hope of obtaining some information 

 respecting the animal whose remains were thus preserved, and especially 

 for the sake of ascertaining whether it was of the same species with 

 that whose remains are detected in the Derbyshire marble,! requested 

 my worthy and intelligent neighbour, Mr. William Inman, to collect 

 for me some illustrative specimens, as well as to make such observa- 

 tions on the quarries, &c. as he should be able, whilst visiting that 



