THE 
AMERICAN GEOLOGIST 
Vol. XXVI. SEPTEMBER, 1900. No. 3 
ON THE PRESENCE OF PORES IN THE VENTRAL 
SAC IN FISTULATE CRINOIDS. 
By Frank Speingee, East Las Vegas, N. M. 
(Plate XVI.) 
At various places in the works of Wachsmuth and Spring- 
er the statement has been made that the ventral sac of certain 
fistulate crinoids was pierced by pores, slits, or fissures, which 
penetrated to the interior of the sac* 
This has been criticised by Mr. Bather, and the existence 
of such pores or fissures denied as to Cyatliocrijius,^ Tlienaro- 
cnnus,l and Botryocrima.^ 
In our Monograph of the Crinoidea Camerata we reiterat- 
ed the statement as to some Fistulata, saying that in the Fis- 
tulata the sac was often perforated by pores (p. 114). In a 
note on the same page we made a more definite statement as 
follows : — 
"Mr. Bather is of the opinion that the ventral sac of the 
Fistulata is not perforated, but only pitted. . . . This 
may be true as to Cyatliocriniis, Eusphvcrinus, and possiblv 
the Cyathocrinid?e generally, in which very likely the madre- 
porite performed the functions of the tube-pores ; but we have 
*Revision of the Palaeocrinoidea, III, pp. 66, 83. 
Perisomic Plates of the Crinoids, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., i8qo, 
p. 361. 
fBritish Fossil Crinoids, I, p. 311; Ibid, \'III, pp. 212, 220, 224. 
Xlbui, III, p. 229. 
%Ibid, V. pp. 407, 408; and Crinoidea of Gotland I, p. 122. 
