so 



OPIIIURE. 



OPIIIURIDJE. 



OPH1URM. 



Genus, Ophiocoma. Agassiz. 



Generic Character. — Rays simple, squamose, not prolonged into the disk 

 superiorly, and separated at their origins beneath by small pentangular plates. 

 (Cirrhi pinnate.) 



GRAY BRITTLE-STAR. 



Ophiocoma neghcta. -Johnston. 



Specific Character. — Disk round, flat, imbricated with small smooth scales. 

 Two oblong, parallel, touching plates opposite the origin of each ray. Upper ray- 

 scales square ; lateral ray-plates, bearing four or five spines each, which are 

 equal in length to the breadth of the ray. 



OpMura ncglecta, Johnston, Mag. Nat. Hist. VIII. p. 4(57, fig. 42. La- 

 marck, Anim. sans Vert. 2 Edit. p. 226. 

 Ophiocoma ncglecta, Forbes, Wern. Mem. vol. VIII. p. 120, pi. iv. fig. 7. 

 OpMura elegans, Leach, Zool. Misc. II. p. 57. 



Tnrc Brittle-stars are at once recognised as distinct 

 from the true Ophiurae, either alive or dried, by their 



