2 



BRITISH FOSSILS. 



Fig. 2. 



ASTROPECTEN PHILLIPSII. 



E. Forbes, in ^' Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain," 

 vol. ii. part 2, p. 478. 



Diagnosis. A. radiis lanceolatis^ lateribus rectis, angulis intermediis 

 valde obtusis ; ossiculis marginalibus oblongo-quadratis, spiniferis. 



Description. — Disk moderately developed, the arms being in length, 

 compared with its diameter, as one and three-quarters to one. Rays 

 slender, lanceolate, forming very obtuse angles at the junction with each 

 other and the body. Margins of the rays bordered with oblong qua- 

 drate plates, which are studded with small tubercles, probably marking 

 the points of attachment of paxillse ; on their edges also are a few 

 scattered linear-lanceolate spines, which are not equal to the breadth of 

 the plate. The ambulacra are bordered with semicircular combs of 

 short spines. The plates composing the skeleton of the body appear to 

 have been oblong. The marginal plates at the angles are narrow, as 

 compared with those of the ray-borders. The diameter of the body is 

 about an inch and two-twelfths. The length of the rays appear to have 

 been about two inches one-twelfth ; their breadth, near the junction of 

 the rays with the body, is about seven-twelfths. 



Affinities. — This beautiful species bear a striking resemblance to the 

 recent Astropecten aranciacus and its allies. No fossil species of this 

 genus, as yet figured, so clearly proves the true generic position of the 

 extinct forms as this. 



Locality and Geological Position. — Engraved from a drawing by Mr. 

 J. Phillips of a specimen from the upper sandy beds of forest marble, 

 Hinton-lane-end, Yorkshire. 



E. Forbes. 



April, 1849. - 



