446 THE GEOLOGIST. 



ON A NEW GENUS OE ECIIINODERM, AND OBSERVA, 

 TIONS ON THE GENUS PAL^CHINUS. 



By Fort-Major Thomas Austin, E.G.S. 



Genus, Protoechinus (Austin). 

 Species, Protoechinus ancejjs (Austin). Natural size. 



Test. — Shape not well defined in tlie specimens obtained. Ambu- 

 lacral areas wide ; tbe two rows of pores in double pairs near tlie 

 margin, with alternate additional perforated plates near the widest 

 spread of the ambulacra ; where these additional plates intervene 

 the pores become quadruple ; interambulacral areas wide. 



Differences and Affinities. — The Protoechinus differs wholly from 

 Palaschinus ; and bears but little affinity to any recent or fossil 

 echinoderm with which I am acquainted. 



Locality and Strati graphical Range. — The only three specunens yet 

 discovered were found in the lower beds, but not the very lowest, of 

 the Carboniferous Limestone, at Hook Point, comity of Wexford. 



Some years since, when visiting the Hook district, in company 

 with my son, Mr. T. Auwstin, this new and beautiful sea-urchin wns 

 discovered ; but unfortunately, in my son's eager endeavours to ex- 

 tricate the fossil from the matrix, part of it was destroyed. Enough, 

 however, remains to prove that it is generically distinct from Palge- 

 chinus. I obtained a second specimen, but the plates are a good 

 deal displaced, and the ambulacra are not so well seen as in the one 

 figured. ^Vnother and more perfect specimen was subsequently ob- 

 tained ; l)ufc before I could secure it, it unfortunately fell into un- 

 scicntilic hands, and was lost to science. 



