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founded on superstitious ideas, their resemblance to other bodies, and the use 
they were applied to; as rosary beads, (Rosenk2ansstemme, Germ. ) giant’s tears, 
(Dunnenthaenen, Germ.) fairy stones, wheel stones, (Raedersteine, Germ.) tor- 
chites, entrochites, &c. "The angular columns being generally star-shaped re- 
ceived the names starstones, asterie, &c. ` 
AgricoLa considered these bodies aš inorganic infiltrations, similar to sta- 
lactites, Other early authors regarded them as vertebral joints of fish, as 
corals, &c. ; and some who had more accurately observed the column and its 
termination, compared them to plants, whence the name of the stone lily (Stein 
Lilie, Germ.) was given to the superior extremities of our genus ENCRINUS. 
LrnurpI believe first considered them as appendages to star fish; and when this 
idea was accepted by men of enquiry, and it was admitted, that they probably 
belonged to the asteria, (now the STELrERIDES ፲5ህ8ሂለጄፎ of M. Lamancx,) and 
might even exist in unexplored seas, researches were set on foot to discover 
them ina living or recent state. A recent species of these animals was sup- 
posed to have been detected, when the PENNATULA ENCRINUS of the immortal 
Linszus, of which 6 gives a description as an hydra, was first noticed. 
But this, on closer examination, proved to differ so materially from the Excnr- 
NITE, that it furnished LAMARCK with the type of his new genus UMBELLULA- 
RIA. Soon afterwards, however, a portion of an animal was found which bore 
a great resemblance to the asterial columns occurring so frequently in lias and 
oolite, possessing, indeed, an absolute identity of generic characters. 5چ‎ 
improperly classed this species under the genus Isis, as Isis AsrERIA, which 
error M. Lamarck corrected, and placed it in his genus ENcrinus, as ENcnr- 
NUS CAPUT MEDUS#, and which I have removed to the genus PENTACRINIFES 
(Pentacrinus) retaining M. Lamarck's specific name. . ! 
Geological Distribution of the Crinoidea. 
Some species, as CYATHOCRINITES rugosus, &c. are found amongst the 
earliest traces of organic remains, imbedded in the transition limestone for- 
mation. Other species of the genera ACTINOCRINITES, "PLATYCRINITES, 
RHODOCRINITES, PoTERIOCRINITES, and CYATHOCRINITES, occur in the moun- 
tain and magnesian limestone deposits, where they are lost, (as far as I 
have been able to ascertain,) and make room for the different species of 
PENTACRINITES, which may be traced through the beds of the lias, oolite, 
and chalk, and of which one species, the PENTACRINUS CAPUT MEDUSE 
