REPORT ON THE ASTEROIDEA. 207 



the margin of the ray ; and occasionally there may be one or two supplementary spiuelets, 

 usually smaller and almost indistinguishable from the spinelets of the infero-marginal 

 plates, but occasionally one is as large as the three spinelets of the outer series, and is 

 irregular in position. 



The mouth-plates are small, and form a prominent narrow keel along the median suture- 

 line, on each side of which are borne two rows of rather elongate cylindrical spinelets, six 

 or seven in each, and two or three in single series on the outer part, which are larger. 

 The innermost spinelets are more robust than the others, but only very slightly longer, 

 and no prominent horizontal comb is formed over the mouth-opening as in other species. 

 There is a row of five to seven rather elongate spinelets on the free margin of the mouth- 

 plate. 



The madreporiform body, which is small and almost hidden by paxillse, is situated 

 rather more than its own breadth from the margin. 



The ambulacral tube-feet are moderately robust and have conical pointed tips. 



The terminal (ocular) plate is rather large, and broader than long ; distinctly appear- 

 ing as if formed by the lateral union of two semicylindrical plates, with a rather large 

 tubercular granule on each side at the extreme tip, on which spinelets were probably 

 articulated. 



Colour in alcohol, yellowish grey, with a darker tint over the paxillar area approach- 

 ing greenish grey. 



Locality. — Station 204. Off Tablas Island (Philippine group). November 2, 1874. 

 Lat. 12° 43' 0" N., long. 122° 9' 0" E. Depth 100 fathoms. Green mud. Surface 

 temperature 84 o- Fahr. 



Remarks. — This form is distinguished from the other species possessing a nou- 

 continuous series of spines on the supero-marginal plates by the absence of the spines 

 in question on the outer half of the ray, and by the presence of the oblique series or comb 

 of lateral spines on the infero-marginal plates. 



8. Astropecten hermatophihis, Sladen (PI. XXXIII. figs. 5 and 6 ; PI. XXXVII. figs. 

 7-9). 

 Astropecten hermatqphilus, Sladen, 1883, Journ. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Zool.), vol. xvii. p. 257. 



Kays five. R = 25 mm. ; r = 8 mm. R > 3 c. Breadth of a ray at the base, 

 8 '5 mm. 



Rays of moderate breadth, tapering from the base to the extremity, but not becoming 

 attenuate or sharply pointed. Interbrachial arcs slightly rounded. 



The paxillar area is compact and uniform, rather more than three times the breadth of 

 the supero-marginal plates at the middle of the ray. The paxillse are longer on the disk 

 and along the median abactiual line than at the sides of the rays, where they are arranged in 



