EXTENT OF CRINOIDEANS. 
429 
From the details I have thus selected from 
the best authorities, with a view to illustrate the 
Miost important parts that enter into the organi- 
zation of the family of Encrinites, it is obvious 
that similar investigations might be carried to 
'■I'e manner in which these roots are found attached to the upper 
surface of the great oolite at Bradford near Bath. When living, 
t'leir roots were confluent, and formed a thin pavement at this place 
over the bottom of the sea, from which their stems and branches 
’■ose into a thick submarine forest, composed of these beautiful 
Zoophytes. The stems and bodies are occasionally found united, 
us in their living state ; the arms and fingers have almost always 
’^eeii separated, "but their dislocated fragments still remain, cover- 
‘ug the pavement of roots that overspreads the surface of the 
subjacent Oolitic limestone rock. 
This bed of beautiful remains has been buried by a thick stra- 
tum of clay. Fig. 3 represents the exterior of the body, and 
ttie upper columnar joints of this animal, about two-thirds of the 
natural size. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same, shew- 
ing the cavity for the viscera, and also the large open spaces for 
the reception of nourishment between the uppermost enlarged 
Joints of the column. 
At fig. 5 we have the Actinocrinites 30-dactylus, from the 
Carboniferous limestone near Bristol. D. represents the auxiliary 
side arms which are attached to the column of this species, and 
its base and fibres of attachment. Fig. 6 represents its body, 
from which the fingers are removed , shewing the pectoral plates, 
Q. and capital plates, R, which form an integument over the 
ubdominal cavity of the body, and terminate in a mouth (x), 
capable of being protruded into an elongated proboscis by the 
Contraction of its plated integument. Fig. 7 represents the 
f’ody of an Encrinite in the British Museum, figured by Parkin- 
son, vol. 2, fol. 17, tig. 3, by the name of Nave Encrinite. 
The mouth of this specimen also is seen at X, and between 
^be mouth and the bases of the arms, the series of plates which 
form the upper and exterior integuments of the stomach. 
