TAXOCRINIDAE 3(S5 



Taxocrinus stultus Whidborne 

 Plate LI, figs. $a-c 



Taxocrinus stultus Whidborne, Proc. Geol. Assoc, XIV, 1896, p. 377; (Devon. Fauna S. of England, III, 

 pt. 3) Pal. Soc. London, 1899, p. 216, pi. 34, figs. 1-3. 



Under this name Dr. Whidborne described a species from the same horizon 



and locality as T. macrodactylus, which is generally similar to it, except that it 



has a more rounded calyx and the stem does not enlarge at the top; it passes 



into alternating columnals below, the longer ones being convex and wider than 



the shorter. This difference in the stem is quite marked, and is well shown by 



the figures. The anal structures are visible ; post. B being rather acute, followed 



by a series of very narrow plates of the tube, free at both sides. There is no 



trace of interbrachials. 



Type. In the Porter collection, Pilton, England. 



Horizon and locality. Upper Devonian, Pilton beds ; Pilton, Devonshire, England. 



Taxocrinus interscapularis Hall 

 Plate LII, fig. 6 



Taxocrinus interscapularis Hall, Geol. Surv. Iowa, I, pt. 2, 1858, p. 482, pi. 1, fig. 3. — Meek and Worthen, 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1865, pp. 139, 143 ; Geol. Surv. Illinois, III, 1868, pp. 422, 423.— 

 Beyrich, Monatsber. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1871, p. 43 (Transl. in Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., (4) VII, 

 p. 401). — Quenstedt, Petref. Deutschlands, IV, 1876, p. 505, pi. 107, fig. 146. — Wachsmuth and 

 Springer, Revision Palaeocrinoidea, pt. 1, 1879, p. 48. — Not Cleland, Wisconsin Geol. and Nat. Hist. 

 Survey, Bull. 21, 1911, p. 42, pi. 3, figs. 11, 12= 7". teller!. 



This species is only known by a single specimen, and that is in such an im- 

 perfect condition that no satisfactory detailed description can be made from it. 

 One side is imbedded in a hard matrix, and the exposed part is much injured by 

 weathering and accident; the base is broken off, and the basal plates described 

 by Hall are part of the radials, according to the interpretation by my artist ; it 

 apparently has 3 IBr instead of 2, as would follow from the original description. 

 There are two peculiar things about the specimen : ( 1 ) the high location of the 

 iBr, supported by the IBn, instead of R as in other cases; (2) that the inner 

 division of the IlfBr is longer than the outer. There is also a tendency in the 

 brachials to coalesce for two or three ranges above the axillaries, which is not 

 seen elsewhere in this genus. The species is apparently well-marked by these 

 characters, but its relations remain obscure ; and it may even not belong to this 

 genus, as the anal side is unknown. 



Type. Worthen collection, University of Illinois. 



Horizon and locality. Middle Devonian, Hamilton Group ; New Buffalo. Iowa 



