The Echinoderm Fauna of South Africa. 315 



of the world in deep, cold water. The largest of the PIETER FAURE 

 specimens is still young, with the disk only 12 mm. across, while 

 others are only half as large. I have compared the specimen with 

 those of similar size from other regions and find no differences to 

 which weight may be given. The oral papillae are shorter, flatter 

 and more regularly arranged than in most northern specimens and 

 in this particular, the South African specimens approach most nearly 

 to one from off Victoria, but some northern specimens show a similar 

 tendency and I do not think even a varietal name can be given to 

 the southern form. 



Station 17268. Cape Point, E. 3 / 4 N., 42 miles, 930 fms. Gn. m. 

 2 specimens; very young. 



Station 17303. Cape Point, E. % N., 41 miles, 890 fms. Gn. in. 

 2 specimens; young. 



* OPHIUROPSIS LYMANI. 



Studer, 1884. Abh. K.-Preus. Akad. wiss. Berlin, p. 55; 



pi. V, figs. 12a-</. 



This remarkable little ophiuran is known only from the holotype 

 (disk-diameter, 6 mm.; arm-length, 10 mm.) which was taken by 

 the GAZELLE ofl' Spencer Bay, Southwest Africa, in 60 fms. The 

 colour in life was rosy red. It is quite possible that this will prove 

 to be the young of some other genus but we have no clue yet as 

 to its relationships. The first spelling of the specific name was with 

 two n's but as a subsequent spelling (in the Explanation of PI. V) 

 is correct, we must treat the first as a slip of the pen or a typo- 

 graphical error. 



GORGONOCEPHALIDAE. 



This interesting family is represented in the region about the Cape 

 by only three species, of which two have the much-branched aims 

 which have led to the fisherman's name of "basket-fish". * Both of 

 these have long been known from South Africa but the third species, 

 having unbranched or simple arms, is a discovery of the PIETER 

 FAURE. The three forms are very easily distinguished from each 

 other by obvious characters. The simple-armed species and one of 

 the basket-fish seem to be endemic but the other basket-fish has 

 an extraordinarily wide distribution, ranging as it does from Chili, 

 Argentina and the Falkland Islands to Kerguelen and Heard Island. 



* This is the colloquial name of an allied species, on the New England coast. 



