ox THE 



ECHINODERMA 



FOUND OFF THE COAST 'OF SOUTH AFRICA. 

 PART II. ASTEROIDEA. 



F. JEFFREY BELL, M.A., 



Enierilus I'ldlessm" in King's College, London. 



For the convenience of others, I propose to adopt the order in 

 which the genera are arranged in the " Challenger " report, but 

 the careful student will remember that an improved disposition 

 of the genera is to be found in Bronn's Thierreich. 



A very large number of specimens has been sent me, and the 

 investigation has been laborious, but instructive, for the only 

 new species has been made on a single specimen ! The very 

 long series of Astropcctcn pontoporcens forms an interesting 

 object-lesson in variation ; I have kept for the collection of the 

 British Museum a most interesting and instructive series of what 

 I took at first to be several new species of Pentagonasier, but 

 which are now seen to be different stages in the growth of the 

 till now rare and little known Pentagonasier tubereitlatns of 

 Gray. 



Not only do the Cape Starfishes show an alliance with those 

 of the North Atlantic, but there are also indications of the 

 ]~resence of species best known as yet from the Indian Ocean ; 

 this is indeed only to be expected when we examine the trend 

 of the currents round the southern peninsula of the Old World. 



It is unfortunate that a large part of the collection was put 

 { I do not say preserved) in formol, with the result that some of 

 the specimens had to be destroyed at once. I have already* 

 called attention to the dangers attendant on the use of this 



" " Collections of the ' Soul hern Ci'oss ' " (1902I, p. 214, 



