REPORT ON THE CRINOIDEA. 141 



The middle and outer pinnules of Antedon eschrichti exhibit a modification of the 

 first two joints of essentially the same character as that which has already been noticed 

 in Antedon valida (PI. XV. fig. 2). The first joint is irregularly trapezoidal, or in some 

 cases almost crescentic, its distal edge being more or less concave, while the proximal edge 

 of the larger and more trapezoidal second joint is similarly incurved and only meets that 

 of the first near its ventral end, so as to leave a large gap on the dorsal side, which is 

 occupied by ligament (PL XXIV. fig. 13). This feature is very characteristic of nearly 

 all the Comatulas from Arctic and temperate seas, and also of some abyssal forms 

 (PI. XXVII. figs. 26, 27 ; PI. XXVIII. fig. 4 ; PL XXXII. figs. 5, 7), while it likewise 

 presents itself in certain tropical species ; but it never appears in Actinometra. 



The axillaries of Antedon eschrichti vary considerably in their shape from triangular 

 to rhombic, according to the extent of their backward projection into the second radials. 

 In a few instances I have found them to be longer than wide ; but in most cases 

 the width is equal to or a trifle greater than the length, more than half of which is on 

 •the distal side of the line joining the lateral angles. This is chiefly clue to the acuteness 

 of the distal angle (PL XXIV. figs. 10, 11). The axillaries of Antedon antarctica have 

 much the same shape, but they are usually considerably wider than long (PL XXV. 

 figs. 8-12). 



There is much variation both in the relative and in the absolute size of the flagellate 

 lower pinnules of Antedon eschrichti. Those figured on PL XXIV. figs. 7-9, are 

 the three first pinnules on the outer side of the arm of a specimen from Station 48, i.e., 

 those borne by the second, fourth, and sixth brachials. The same three pinnules 

 of Antedon rhomboidea, Antedon antarctica, Antedon australis, and Antedon quadrata 

 are figured on Pis. XXIV, XXV. and XXVIL, and in all but the last (PL XXVII. 

 figs. 8-13) the third pinnule is but little smaller than its predecessors. In Antedon 

 eschrichti it has fewer joints than the first and second pinnules, but the basal ones are 

 somewhat larger, though still wider than long, and a few of the outer joints become 

 longer than wide, which is not the case in the first two pinnules (PL XXIV. figs. 7-9). 

 The third and fourth pinnules are in fact the transitional stages between the flagellate 

 basal pinnules and the larger genital ones which follow them. In Antedon antarctica, 

 however, the change is much more sudden (PI. XXV. figs. 1-3). 



Fig. 10 on PL XXIV. represents a small but very interesting example of Antedon 

 eschrichti which was dredged by the " Triton " in the Fasroe Channel. The cirri are small 

 and comparatively delicate, not exceeding 20 mm. in length, and the arm-bases are but 

 slightly tubercular. All the arms have been broken and regenerated either at the second 

 (eighth brachial) or third syzygy (twelfth or thirteenth brachial). In one arm there are 

 two distinct changes of diameter, showing that the first regenerated part had undergone a 

 subsecpient fracture which has been again made good. One can therefore study the 

 appearances presented by the new arm-joints in various stages of growth. The lowest 



