REPORT ON THE HOLOTHURIOIDEA. 63 



of the body or more. Integument thin, but rather hard and brittle, with larger and 

 smaller, irregularly rounded, perforated plates, either scattered or crowded, and then 

 covering one another with their edges ; each plate bearing near its centre one or 

 more small spines or processes. 



Colour in alcohol, light grey, glassy or violet. Length of the largest specimen, 

 204 mm. Breadth, 8G mm. 



ffaMtab — Station 146. December 29, 1873. Lat. 46° 46' S., long. 45° 31' E. 

 Depth, 1375 fathoms; bottom temperature, 1"5° C. ; globigerina ooze. Station 157. 

 March 3, 1874. Lat. 53° 55' S., long. 108° 35' E. Depth, 1950 fathoms; diatom ooze. 

 Station 160. March 13, 1874. Lat. 42° 42' S., long. 134° 10' E. Depth, 2600 

 fathoms ; bottom temperature, 0'2° C. ; red clay. Station 241. June 23, 1875. Lat. 

 35° 41' N., long. 157° 42' E. Depth, 2300 fathoms; bottom temperature, 1'1° C. ; 

 red clay. Station 244. June 28, 1875. Lat. 35° 22' N., long. 169° 53' E. Depth, 

 2900 fathoms; bottom temperature, 1"2° C. ; red clay. Station 281. October 6, 1875. 

 Lat. 22° 21' S., long. 150° 17' W. Depth, 2385 fathoms ; bottom temperature, 0'8° C. ; 

 red clay. Station 299. December 14, 1875. Lat. 33° 31' S., long. 74° 43' W. Depth, 

 2160 fathoms; bottom temperature, 1"1° C; grey mud. Station 325. March 2, 1876. 

 Lat. 36° 44' S., long. 46° 16' W. Depth, 2650 fathoms; bottom temperature, 0"4° C, 

 grey mud. 



Having obtained a smaller or greater number of individuals from each of the 

 above localities, a great abundance of material has been at my disposal. As the name 

 indicates, this species is represented in many varying forms, individuals not only from 

 different localities but even from the same station presenting considerable diversities. 

 If I had only had the opportunity of examining a few forms I should doubtless have 

 made the mistake of referring them to several different species, but on account of the 

 abundance of material, I have been able to observe a series of gradations filling up 

 the intervals between the extreme forms. All the specimens evidently belong to the 

 same species, though they may possess one or more differences which at first may 

 appear to be of such importance that they could not be classed under the head 

 of variations. The size varies extremely, the smallest individuals reaching only a length 

 of 35 mm. and a breadth of 10 mm., while the largest ones attain gigantic dimensions. 

 The difference in the general appearance of the body depends upon the number of 

 pedicels and processes, which in its turn would seem to depend upon the size of the 

 animal, so that the larger individuals would be provided with a greater number than 

 the smaller ones. However, this is not always the case. The largest specimen, for 

 instance, dredged at Station 146, and reaching a length of about 204 mm., has only 

 fifty-six processes, while another individual from Station 241, having only a length of 

 170 mm., possesses about seventy; another animal dredged at Station 160, about 

 46 mm. long, carries only nineteen pedicels and nineteen processes, while a considerably 



