490 RADIATA. ASTERIADtE. Comatula. 



complished navigator Captain Scoresby, the dorsal disc and rays were desti- 

 tute of those numerous warts which characterize the A. scutatum. It belonged 

 to the A. costosum. It therefore seems doubtful to which of these species the 

 British examples should be referred. 



Gen. XII. COMATULA— Dorsal disc clothed with calca- 

 reous, jointed, incurved threads, ending in a claw ; arms 

 subdivided, narrow, jointed, with tapering articulated pro- 

 cesses on each side. These, in some species, have a mem- 

 brane fimbriated at the edges, on the oral aspect. The oral 

 disc is globose, surrounded by the base of the arms. 



34. C. rosacea. — Dorsal filaments exceeding thirty. 



Link, p. 55. tab. xxxvii. No. 66. — Asterias bifida, Penn. Brit. Zool. p. G5. 



No. 70 C. fimbriata, Midler, Crin. p. 132. tab. i. — Pensance Luid, 



Millford Haven, Mr Miller. 

 The figures of Linck and Miller have a considerable resemblance, though 

 the specimen from which the former has been taken, had been deprived of its 

 dorsal filaments. 



35. C. barbata. — Dorsal filaments ten in number. 



Decanemos barbatus, Linck, 55. t. xxxvii. f. 64. — Asterias decanemos, 

 Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. 66. t. xxxiii. f. 71- — A. pectinata, Adams, Lin. 

 Trans, v. 10. — West coast of Scotland, Pennant ; Wales, Adams. 

 " Both the pinnated and simple rays of this species are closely jointed 

 throughout, and from these articulations arises its flexibility. The pinnae 

 on the under side are furnished with hollow tubes, gradually decreasing in 

 size as they approach the end ; from which proceed, at the will of the animal, 

 small filiform transparent flexible bodies, which are probably the organs of 

 feeling. On separating one of the pinnae from the main stem, the flegh was 

 found to be composed entirely of small opaque globes (eggs ?). The filiform 

 rays, or perhaps more properly the radicles, since by them the animal at- 

 taches itself to any thing, are each terminated by an incurvated claw, resem- 

 bling in figure, and evidently for the same purpose, as the claw of birds. The 

 body is covered, on the upper side, by five unequal valves. It is remarkable 

 of this species, that it is furnished with two apertures, one at the confluence 

 of the valves, the other in the largest valve ; their position with respect to 

 the centre is variable ; the last may readily escape observation, except when 

 the animal chooses to elevate it above the plane of the valve. When fully 

 expanded, the inside appears clothed with a fine membrane ; longitudinally 

 folded, and revolute at its margin ; colour deep red." — Adams. The second 

 orifice here mentioned by Mr Adams is probably the vent (or oviduct), and 

 seems to have been overlooked by subsequent observers. 



