235 



a magnifying glass, their form and structure is seen to agree very ex- 

 actly with the ramified arms of the preceding fossil. 



The small calcareous fossil body, from the same place, delineated 

 Plate XIII. Fig. 82, is here introduced, in consequence of the am- 

 biguity of its appearance. From the resemblance which its general 

 surface bears to that of the last fossil, it might be concluded to be 

 the detached arm or tentaculum of that animal in an extended state; 

 a smooth circular pit at its inferior extremity, renders this opinion 

 not improbable. A magnified representation of one of these bodies 

 is given, Plate XIII. Fig. 83. 



The nature of the calcareous fossil, represented Plate XIII. Fig. 

 36 and 37, is very ambiguous. I was favoured with it by Dr. Wood- 

 house, of Philadelphia, who, avowing his inability to ascertain any 

 thing respecting its original mode of existence, informs me, that it 

 was obtained from Kentucky, where similar bodies are frequently 

 found of a larger size, and that they are there considered as a species 

 of petrified nuts. 



This fossil is somewhat of a conical roundish form, the centre of its 

 base terminating in a small round projection pierced in its middle, 

 with a little opening into the centre of the fossil: from this projec- 

 tion the base extends nearly horizontally to five prominent points, be- 

 tween each of which exists a shallow depression. At the apex of the 

 cone five small openings are placed at the angles, formed by the 

 meeting of the lines, which bound five long triangular surfaces, which, 

 commencing at the summit of the fossil, are disposed tapering, down 

 the sides, and terminate in the projecting points which are placed 

 round the base. Along the middle of each of these surfaces, a 

 grooved line passes, from which upwards of forty minute processes 

 on each side, pass to the lines which bound these surfaces at their sides. 



The opinion which I formed on the first view of this fossil was, that 

 it belonged to some animal approximating to the encrinus. The cen- 

 tral projection at its base has, however, suffered so much by friction 



