256 



remains, as not to leave the least appearance of any intervening mat- 

 ter. A specimen of this marble, in which the sections of the verte- 

 bral column are observable, is represented, Plate XVI. Fig. 15. 



In the year 1724, Dr. Eberhard Frederic Hkmer, of Wirtemberg, 

 published a letter to Dr. Scheuchzer, describing a pentacrinite mate- 

 rially differing from any which have since been described *. The re- 

 mains of this animal were found on a schistose slab, which was taken 

 out of the quarries of Ombden, in the dutchy of Wirtemberg, and 

 which was about four feet in length, and rather more than three feet 

 in width. The whole of this slab appears to have been covered with 

 the remains of the animal ; several of its arms traversing the whole 

 length of the stone, which was also exquisitely ornamented by the ex- 

 tremely minute, but perfectly distinct branches. The arms or larger 

 branches were formed of pentagonal vertebrae, and crossed each other 

 in different directions, appearing to have united and inosculated with 

 each other at all these points of contact. The terminations of these 

 arms are described as being a congeries of the most minute and slen- 

 der branches, giving exactly the resemblance of a flower. 



The distinguishing characteristic of the pentacrinite of Hiemer 

 seems to be the union of the several vertebral columns, or of the arms 

 or branches, at those points where they happened to have crossed 

 each other, no such circumstance being observable in any of the 

 other species of this animal. 



The fossil here described was afterwards purchased of Mr. Hie- 

 mer, by Mr. Keysler, who presented it to M. de Hugo, in whose 

 cabinet it was deposited. The size of this specimen, and the distinct- 

 ness of the fossil remains which were displayed on its surface, ena- 

 bled its original possessor to give that accurate description and 



* Caput Medusae utpote novum diluvii universalis monumentum detectum in Agro Wir- 

 temburgico et brevi dissertatiuucula Epistoiari expositum, ab Eberhard. Frider. Hiemero j 

 S. S. Theol. Doctore. Stuttgard. 



