153 
Differing essentially in their characters from every other zoo- 
phyte, either fossil or recent, their examination, if pursued with 
even a moderate portion of success, cannot fail to excite a high degree 
of interest. It must, however, be remarked, that these circumstances, 
which are supposed to render the investigation so interesting, are 
necessarily such as also tend to render it more difficult. The want 
of analagous appearances in other substances, either recent or fossil, 
must necessarily much impede the progress of the naturalist, who is 
endeavouring to ascertain the original forms of these animals, by 
putting together fragments, which have now actually become subjects 
of the mineral kingdom ; and which were separated and dispersed 
before the existence of the present world. Still greater will be the 
difficulty which must accompany the attempt to obtain some correct 
notions respecting the various habitudes, and the different modes of 
existence of these animals from materials so imperfect. 
These bodies are separated from all the other zoophytes by this 
distinguishing character — their trunks and limbs are formed of hones 
articulated with each other hy surfaces, marked with afloriform or stelliform 
figure. From the external forms of these bones, a natural division 
of these animals into two sections, or perhaps genera, takes place : 
those, the bones of which have almost all a circular or oval circum- 
ference, have been hitherto termed Encrinites ; and those, whose 
bones nearly all possess a pentagonal circumference, have been distin- 
guished by the term Pentacrinites. 
Many of the terms which are at present applied to the respective 
parts of these animals are undoubtedly objectionable. This is, indeed, 
a circumstance which might with reason be expected, since these 
names were given to the several parts soon after their first discovery ; 
before any just notion could be formed respecting their real nature, 
or the relationship which existed between them. A fancied resem- 
blance to some known figure was generally, therefore, the capricious 
circumstance on which their appellation depended, as may be per- 
VOL. II. X 
