OBSERVATIONS 



ON THE 



GENERA, 



Comatula, urpale, pfnura, anb 8sterta* 



INTRODUCTION. 



.M.Y inquiries into the anatomical details of the Crinoidea, necessarily con- 

 ducted me to the investigation of several other organic remains, hitherto con- 

 sidered as belonging to the Encrinites, and also to an examination of the animals 

 arranged by LINNAEUS in the genera Asteria and Echinus, since these appear in 

 some parts of their structure, more or less allied to the former. I was still further 

 animated to enter into the details of this investigation, since M. CUVIER asserts 

 in his Regne Animale (vol. iv. p. 8.) " that their bony arrangement deserves to 

 be studied ;" which made me conclude that this part of anatomy has been as 

 yet left untouched by that great naturalist. 



Of the Linnean genus Asteria, M. LAMARCK has formed a family 

 to which be has assigned the name STKLLERID^;, comprehending four genera, 

 arising from the subdivison of the above Lintiean genus. With a view to dis- 

 cover the animals which form a link between the Crinoidea and Asteria, I 

 dissected several individuals of the family Stellenda?. 



