Revieics — 8. A. Miller's American Crinoids. 79 



for he does not undertake to deal with Crinoids other than PalEeozoic, 

 and, as for these, he boldly asserts that " ' rudimentary underbasals ' 

 could never have had an existence in any of them." " The number 

 of basals and the shape of the basal disk are of the first importance " 

 in classification ; for, as Mr. Miller points out, the number gradually 

 decreases in geological time, and of course no sound thinker could 

 imagine that later forms arise from earlier by descent with 

 modification. 



" The only known function of the subradials is to increase the 

 capacity of the visceral cavity, .... in some genera they cover half 

 the calyx, .... in all cases they materially affect the form and 

 structure, .... where .... large they were supported by liga- 

 ments .... or by denticulated edges .... Therefore [how 

 subtle is tbis logic!] — no family should include genera having 

 subradials and those in which they do not exist." 



" The next family character will be found in the presence or 

 absence of regular interradial plates," while the last lies in the 

 structure of the posterior interradius. 



" The structure of the arms," Mr. Miller thinks, " is never of 

 family importance, and above the brachials never of generic impor- 

 tance though always of specific value." As we are not informed 

 what sense Mr. Miller chooses to apply to the term " brachials," we 

 can offer no ojDinion on this point. 



We have not space to give a synopsis of Mr. Miller's classification, 

 but a few of the most noteworthy changes may be quoted for the 

 delight of those who appreciate common-sense. Thus : — the 

 Symbathocrinidge are ranged alongside the Calceocrinidge : the 

 difficulty of separating species of Forhesocrinus from those of Ichtliyo- 

 crinus can exist no longer now that the two genera are placed not 

 only in different families but in separate groups ; while matters are 

 still more simplified by the approximation of Ampheristocrinus and 

 Closterocrinns to the " IchthycrinoidEe." Again, forms hitherto 

 foolishly placed so far apart as SJiicalyptocrtnus, Mariacrinus, and 

 Xenocrinus, are now to be found in the same group of families. In 

 the Cyathocrinidge are gathered Bursacrinus, Carabocrinus, Graphio- 

 crinus and others, even including Cyathocriniis. 



But for the rest of this exciting and amusing article we must refer 

 our readers to the Christmas number of the " American Geologist" 

 for 1890. And we would especially recommend its perusal to our 

 younger readers ; for there they will find exemplified a lucidity of 

 exposition, an accuracy of argument, and a courtesy in debate that 

 remind one of the Society upon the Stanislaus, though from the Report 

 of that body even Mr. Miller might profit. The journals in which 

 we publish may be " conduits of ignorance and conceit." We are 

 "illiterate," "reckless of symmetry," "shallow pretenders" "venting 

 stupid hypotheses"; in our "unenlightened affectation" we make 

 our " usually poor English more incomprehensible " by quoting 

 " snatches from German authors," we give full references, and we 

 never have more than 30 misprints in 18 pages (Mr. Miller rises to 

 40). Yes ! we are all this; we do all this : and yet, "overgrown" 



