Page:The Eurypterida of New York Volume 1.pdf/155

  features in the ontogenies of Limulus and the scorpion, it becomes manifest that the inference of the derivation of these classes from arthropods more primitive than the Crustaceans, seems well founded.

Through the suggestive investigations of Professor Patten, published in his paper On the Origin of Vertebrates from Arachnids and the ingenious speculations of Dr Gaskell as to the origin of the vertebrates from some Limuluslike ancestor, the eurypterids have gained increased interest and some notoriety as possible ancestors of the earliest vertebrates.