Mr. F. A. Bather on British Fossil Crinoids. 309 



Notwithstanding this roll of honourable names, a roll which 

 might even be extended, it is possible for one of the chief 

 living authorities on Palaeozoic Crinoids — Dr. Charles Wachs- 

 muth— to say in a letter dated Dec. 30, 1889, " The British 

 Crinoids .... are in a greater confusion than the Crinoids 

 of any other country." The causes for this state of things, 

 which cannot but be considered a discredit to British Palaeon- 

 tology, are two. First, much of the work done by the older 

 writers is worse than valueless (it is as well to speak the 

 plain truth at once, however repugnant to one's feelings) ; 

 drawings, when given, are often unlike the specimens ; the 

 descriptions incomplete, if not inaccurate. This is no mere 

 expression of opinion, but a simple fact proved over and over 

 again by the inability of eminent foreign workers to recog- 

 nize many genera and most species. Much, however, may 

 be pardoned to the pioneers of the science ; their attempts 

 were heroic, and their failures naturally splendid. The 

 second cause is the lack of recent workers ; not only have 

 men been wanted to describe many new T genera and species, 

 but some one has been especially needed who should revise 

 the work of his predecessors in accordance with the advanced 

 state of knowledge. Had Sir Wyville Thomson lived this 

 reproach would no doubt have been removed ; and we may 

 not blame those who were restrained by etiquette from tres- 

 passing on a field supposed to have been claimed by another. 



Delay is no longer excusable. The chief fossiliferous 

 localities all over the country have been well ransacked, and 

 many are now no longer worked ; a few more species may be 

 found no doubt, but a vast mass of material in museums and 

 in private collections awaits description. Further, by the pub- 

 lications of Messrs. Wachsmuth and Springer in America, and 

 by those of Dr. P. H. Carpenter in this country, the task for 

 both Palaeozoic and Neozoic Crinoidea is rendered far more 

 easy than it would have been ten years ago. This task then 

 I propose to undertake in a series of papers : already 1 have 

 received much encouragement, much kind help, and many 

 promises of assistance ; but 1 would here appeal to every one 

 who owns or who is in charge of collections of British Fossil 

 Crinoids to aid me with information or by the loan of speci- 

 mens. Every specimen entrusted to me will be taken all 

 possible care of, and returned to its owner or guardian at the 

 earliest possible opportunity. 



I should greatly prefer to deal with the Crinoids in an order 

 determined solely by zoological affinity ; but localities, col- 

 lections, and considerations of expense will probably necessi- 

 tate a more geological arrangement. I propose therefore to 



