Br. J. W. Gregory — On Palceozoic Starfishes. 343 



branchias confined to the abactinal surface, and the Cryptozonia for 

 asterids having- the marginal plates rudimentary or absent and the 

 dermal branchia3 not confined to the abactinal surface. Sladen 

 founded these divisions only as orders of Euasteroidea. But Sturtz 

 in 1893 subdivided the other section, or Encrinasterige — with which 

 the group of Palfeasteroidea must be entirely or mainly identical — 

 also into Phanerozonia and Cryptozonia ; and then in turn he 

 subdivided the Stelleridse veras in the same way. It seems to me 

 possible to extend still further Stiirtz's extension of Sladen's 

 classification, and to divide the Asteroidea primarily into Phanero- 

 zonia and Cryptozonia, abandoning Bronn's classification altogether. 



It is true that M. Perrier^ has criticized the fundamental principle 

 of Mr. Sladen's system, which is not free from difficulties ; but 

 his alternative plan - is certainly less helpful in the study of fossil 

 starfish. 



About three years ago I rashly undertook to prepare a synopsis 

 of the known Asteroidea, which had to be completed by September, 

 1896. I accordingly endeavoured to bring the fossil and recent 

 genera into line by the above suggested extension of Sladen's 

 system. The classification is necessarily provisional, and was 

 prepared in reliance on Bacon's maxim that truth more often 

 springs from error than from ignorance. I hoped that a clear series 

 of definite family diagnoses would show the gaps in our knowledge 

 of the anatomy of Palasozoic starfish, and thus help toward 

 something better. This classification having been prepared, 

 I delayed the publication of this paper until the diagnoses were 

 available for reference. 



Some years back, owing to the kindness of the late Dr. Johnstrup 

 of Copenhagen, I received, through the agency of Professor Lindstrom 

 and my colleague Mr. F. A. Bather, the loan of the type-specimen 

 of Hisinger's Anterias antiqua, which is now preserved in the 

 Mineralogical Museum of Copenhagen. As the original figure was 

 diagrammatic and indefinite, the specimen had been redrawn by 

 Mr. Georg Liljevall of Stockholm, with the scientific accuracy and 

 artistic skill for which his work is famous. This drawing, which is 

 the property of the Riksmuseum in Stockholm, has been kindly 

 lent me by Professor Lindstrom, who has also permitted the 

 accompanying plate to be prepared from it. For Professor 

 Lindstrom's indulgence in allowing me to retain the drawing — 

 I am ashamed to say for how long — I owe him my sincerest thanks. 



The history of this species is simple. It was founded by 

 Hisinger^ in 1837, and assigned to the genus Asterias. In 1848 it 

 was transferred to Palmipes by Edward Forbes, owing to a mistake 

 as to its geological age, which he regarded as Cretaceous. Salter 

 in 1857 removed the species to the genus JPalceasterina, which he 

 apparently considered an ally of Palmipes ; for he remarked 



1 Ed. Perrier, " Contrib. et. Stell. Atl. Nord " : Eesult. Camp. Sci. Albert I., 

 fasc. xi (1896), pp. 10-14. 



2 Ibid., pp. 7, 15. 



^ The references are given in the synonymy on p. 347. 



