X 
IXTRODTJCTIOX. 
Mr. T. A. Worthen. This last collection is a highly important addition. 
Not only do more than half the specimens belong to species previously 
unrepresented in the Collection, but nearly all bear the label of 
A. H. Worthen, thus conveying to us that eminent palaeontologist’s 
conception of various American species upon which European workers 
stood in great need of light. These specimens appear assignable to 
9 genera, of which one ( Eleutherocrinus ) is exceedingly rare and new 
to the National Collection. They comprise 26 species, of which 12 were 
previously unrepresented in the Collection. All the specimens are good, 
and many of them exceptionally perfect. 
The total number of specimens of Blastoidea now in the Geological 
Department of the British Museum is 1223. Of these, 435 come from 
localities within the United Kingdom; the rest are from Belgium, 
Germany, Spain, Erance (one specimen), the United States, and Canada. 
Thus all the regions from which Blastoids have been described are 
represented, with the exception of Australia. 
The number of genera assigned to the Blastoidea is 22, and 18 of these 
may be studied in the National Collection, the desiderata being the rare 
Pentejphyllum (of which the Museum possesses two plaster casts from the 
holotype) and Asteroblastus, Blastoidocrinus, and Steganoblastus, which 
are not Eublastoidea (= Blastoidea in the sense of Etheridge & 
Carpenter). The number of Blastoid species is about 166, and many 
of these are probably invalid; the 73 valid species preserved in the 
Museum may therefore be regarded as quite half the total number. The 
figured specimens in the Museum amount to 166, while several others 
are of historical interest. Of these, 15 are the holotypes of species, 6 the 
holotypes of varieties, 22 the cotypes of species, 3 the cotypes of varieties, 
58 the paratypes of species, while about 30 may rank as metatypes. The 
number of species represented by holotypes or cotypes is 23 ; of varieties 
the holotypes are 6. Three species are represented by paratypes. 
These figures speak for themselves. However numerous may be the 
specimens of Blastoidea in other museums, there can scarcely be any 
collection so representative of the class as a whole, or so rich in specimens 
of the highest scientific importance, as is that of the British Museum. 
E. A. BATHER. 
30th March, 1899. 
