110 S. A. Miller—Glyptocrinus and Reteocrinus. 
the type and designated characters, throw the science into 
confusion, and seriously impair the value and reliability of 
generic characters, besides losing all interest in the original work 
of the author who established the genus. 
The conclusion is inevitable that, as a matter of law or rule 
of science, Glyptocrinus Nealli cannot be made the type of the 
genus feeteocrinus, and the diagnosis must be canceled an 
stricken from the pale of science. 
or are we in accord in respect to the value of the genus 
Reteocrinus, nor as to the relationship existing between it and 
Glyptocrinus Nealli, for I regard the latter as having a closer 
affinity to Glyptocrinus decadactylus than it has to Reteocrinus 
stellaris, though it may fairly be regarded as holding an inter- 
mediate position. I have had the pleasure of seeing the orig- 
inal specimen represented by fig. 4a, pl. 9, of Decade 4, which 
is the type of the genus Reteocrinus, and from recollection think 
the figure is a correct representation of it. Now let us com- 
pare it with G. Nealli ; of course the comparison can only be 
made with the azygous side and the column. 
G. Neall.—Column sharply pentagonal and composed of 
alternating thin and thicker pieces. : 
&. stellaris—Column round and composed of very thin plates. 
G, Nealli.—Basal plates very small, presenting a low triangu- 
lar face on the exterior (though minutely truncated at the lat- 
eral angles) and not interfering with the pentalobate character, 
as viewed from below, in following the depressions in the col- 
umn across the central .part and greatest height of the basals 
and beyond the lower lateral sides of the subradials. 
&. stellaris.—Basals large, presenting an hexagonal face on 
the exterior and bearing a strong bow-shaped ridge with sinus 
or concave side upward, not in contact with the margins, ex- 
cept where it meets corresponding ridges on the succeeding 
plates above; the remaining portions of these plates depressed 
from }$ to $ of a line. No pentalobate character in the central 
eda of these plates, but deep depressions at their lower lateral 
sides. 
G. Nealli.—Subradials about as wide as long, except the on 
on the azygous side which is a little longer than wide, and eack 
bearing a semicylindrical three-rayed ridge, highest in the c 
tral part and sending one arm below to meet the angles of the 
column and one to each of the adjoining radials to meet corre- 
sponding semicylindrical ridges, except the subradial, on the 
gous side, which bears an additional depressed semicylindri- 
eal ridge extending upward to the superior truncated side. 
RB. stellaris.—Subradials very large, longer than wide, and 
each bearing a more than semicylindrical double-bifureated or 
four-rayed ridge, two of the ridges on each uniting with the 
