Encrinal, Encrinic

Relating to in crinites. Encrin'ital, a. That contains the remains of in crinites. Encrinite. (en'kri- nīt,) n. [Lat. encrinus, pl. encrini; Gr. en, and krinon, a lily.] (Pal. and Geog.) Any fo il crinoid or lily-like echinoderm. The encrinites, which form a most important cla of fo ils, are characterized by their long, many-jointed stalks, surmounted by flower shaped bodies, which were furnished with numerous finger-like rays, capable of closing and expanding. Their internal calcareous skeletons, in scattered joints and fragments, are so abundant in some carboniferous limestones as to compose the greater portion of the ma ; hence the term encrinal or encrinital limestone . The minuter joints of the fingers and rays are usually termed entrochi , or wheel-stones, and the limestones in which they abound entrochal limestone. The stalk of the encrinite was perforated by a canal, which kept the whole in vital action; and the separated joints have consequently some resemblance to beads, -a resemblance which has obtained for them the common names of "St. Cuthbert's beads," "wheel-stones," and "pulleys tones." It is usual to apply the term Encri nites to the genera having rounded and smooth stems; those having pentagonal and ornamented stems being termed Pen tacrinites; those having pear shaped receptacles, Apiocrinites; and those with receptacles forming more or a, a, portions of the stem; 6, separate joints. le perfect cups, Cyathocrinites. Geologically, the encrinites range from the Silurian up to the present period. They occur most abundantly in palæozoic and mesozoic strata, rarely in cainozoic, and are now only represented by the Comatula or Feather-star, and the all but extinct Pentacrinus of the West Indies. Like the corals, their function seems to have been to a great extent the secretion of lime from the ocean, whole strata of limestone, silurian and carboniferous, being almost entirely made up of their remains. Encrinit'ic, Encrinitical, a. Relating to encrinites. cities, to embrace the whole circle; he must, therefore, have recourse to helps, -to books in which he can get what information he wants in a comprehensive and easily acce ible form; and to furnish this is the object of an E.