500 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



as in Antedon protecta, in which P 3 is much reduced in size not only on the inner but 

 also on the outer arms. 



The specimen from Snod Island is very small. 



The specimen from Port Blair, Andaman Islands, is a fine example of the species 

 with 40 arms. The proximal pinnules are much larger and stouter than usual. 



The specimen from Cinque Island, Andamans, has 15 arms. The color in life 

 is recorded as having been "center whitish, outer half of arms deep orange brown." 



Most of the 12 specimens collected by the Investigator at the Andaman Islands 

 and bearing no further data have 30 arms, but some of them have 40. This series 

 exhibits great variation in the size of the proximal pinnules ; indeed, so much difference 

 is there between the two extremes that were it not for the intergrades they would 

 certainly be considered as representing different species. A rather large specimen 

 with 30 arms 90 mm. long represents the condition in which the cirri and lower pinnules 

 are remarkably small and weak, the latter especially being unusually slender with 

 very little difference between those on the outermost sides of the post-radial series 

 and the others so that it might almost be taken for a specimen of Lamprometra gyges. 

 On the other hand, a specimen with 40 arms has remarkably large and stout lower 

 pinnules with the difference between those on the outermost sides of the postradial 

 series and the others exceptionally pronounced. Most of the specimens are quite 

 typical and agree with others at hand from Singapore, the Philippine Islands, and 

 other places in the East Indies. 



Of the four specimens from Palk Strait one has 19 arms about 50 mm. long, and 

 the cirri 15 mm. long. One has 21 arms about 45 mm. long and the cirri XII, 15 mm. 

 long. Another has 26 arms, of which two arise directly from IBr axillaries; all the 

 extra axillaries are externally developed. The fourth specimen has 29 arms 45 mm. 

 long; IIIBr series are developed externally on all but one of the IIBr series; the cirri 

 are 12 mm. long. 



The specimen from Investigator station 91 on the Ganjam coast of India has 12 

 arms 35 mm. long. 



The specimen from Madras, station 5, has 37 arms. 



In the specimen recorded by Gislen from Trincomalee, Ceylon, there are 43 arms 

 50 mm. long. The weight is 7.15 grams, and the volume 5.75 cubic centimeters. 

 The length of the ambulacral grooves is 23.04 meters. The specific weight is 1.24, 

 and the length of the ambulacral grooves divided by the weight is 4.08. 



The specimens from Neendakara Bar are slenderly built, and P 2 , though greatly 

 elongated and much stouter than PI or P 3 , is rather slender. 



The two specimens examined from Ramesvaram on the Gulf of Manaar are 

 small. 



Prof. Johannes Muller described Alecto palmata from India in the following terms: 

 The centrodorsal is flat, two and one-half tunes as broad as high, slightly concave 

 in the middle. The cirri are marginal, and are arranged in several rows. The cirri 

 are XXXV-XXX, 20-24. The cirrus segments are slightly longer than broad, and 

 the last ten have a small spine. The radials are only slightly visible. The IBr 

 series are 2. The IIBr series are 2. Following the IIBr axillaries the arms may 

 remain undivided, or there may be IIIBr series. The intersyzygial interval is 6-12 

 muscular articidations. There are about 35 arms. The lowest pinnules are larger 



