360 



Fossil Encriniie. 



the present is decidedly the best specimen which has rewarded 

 our search. 



For want of any systematic worlc on the fossils of our strata, 

 I cannot venture to say whether it is described or not. It is un- 

 doubtedly one of the encrinite family, probably an apiocrinite, 

 and the present drawing is forwarded for publication in your 

 Journal, with a view to enable some one better acquainted with 

 the subject to determine its specific name. 



The letter accompanying the notice of Dr. Warden's trilobite 

 in your July number,* is calculated to convey an erroneous impres- 

 sion that his species is' entitled to priority. The statement made 

 to me by Dr. W. was, that his sister received the specimen from 

 some one, and had put it away with many others, without being 

 aware of its true character, and that on his visit to Springfield 

 about a month after he saw my specimen, he noticed this, and 

 brought it away with him to Cincinnati. That Dr. W. was not 

 aware of its existence previously, is evident, for he drew up the 

 report alluded to in his letter, and therein says, " it is undoubt- 

 edly the shield of an undescribed trilobite furnished with feelers 

 or tentaculae ; this is a very important fact to establish, as it will 

 prove conclusively, that the trilobite family are properly consid- 

 ered analogous to the crabs," &c. &c. Throughout the report he 

 makes no allusion to any other specimen as bearing any analogy 

 with it, or conflicting in any degree with its claim to priority. 

 As this claim was set forth in my communication to the Acad- 

 emy, and as he takes no notice of it in his report, it is evident, 

 that at the time, the existence of his sister's specimen was un- 

 known to him. 



Vol. xxxiv, p. 379. 



