RErORT ON THE ASTEROIUEA. 445 



rays. Paxillae small, numerous, closely crowded, with ten to twenty-one spinelets, which 

 are more or less divergent from the pedicle. Fifteen to seventeen paxillae may be counted 

 in the median interradial line, and about ten across the base of the ray. Papulae few, not 

 more than one to three in a group. 



Adambulacral armature consisting of: (1.) a furrow series of six spines on each plate 

 near the mouth, and five on the more outward plates, the aboral spine smallest ; (2.) a 

 transverse series on the actinal surface of the plate composed of eight spines. The two 

 spines nearest the furrow are placed more aborally than the rest, which gives the line of 

 base of each transverse series an aboral curve at the furrow side. The middle spines 

 are longest, the outermost smallest ; all tapering to a fine point, robust at the base ; no 

 webbing apparent. Mouth-plates with robust mouth-spines, and a prominent series of 

 nine or ten secondary or superficial spinelets, larger than the marginal mouth-spines. 

 Interradial areas covered with small paxillae, and rather crowded. 



Remarks. — This variety, which was dredged in the Faeroe Channel, seemed to me 

 worthy of being recognised by name on account of its constancy over a considerable area 

 of distribution. The form is ten rayed, and accords in this and other particulars with a 

 number of examples collected during the " Porcupine " cruise. The chief characters are 

 persistent throughout the whole series of specimens I have examined, but several are 

 present in an extreme degree in the Faerbe-Channel specimen. 



On comparing with the above form a typical Crossaster papjwsus of the same diameter, 

 it will be found that in the latter the rays, which are eleven to thirteen in number, are 

 less tapering and relatively longer, the proportion being R>2"5 r. The abactinal area of 

 the disk is very little higher than the rays. The paxillae are larger, fewer, more widely 

 spaced, and bear a greater number of spinelets, usually about forty, which are arranged 

 much more compactly and give the paxillaj a more rounded appearance, — often resembling 

 that of a well-worn brush, the central spinelets being longest. The papulae are more 

 numerous, five to ten or more. The spinelets of the adambulacral armature are three in 

 number in the inner or furrow series, — a fourth very minute one, placed aborally, being 

 present near the mouth. The transverse combs consist of five spinelets, those near the 

 furrow series the longest ; line of base straight ; webbing at the base more or less present. 

 All the spinelets are more delicate in character than in the variety. Mouth-plates with 

 delicate spines ; secondary mouth-spines not more than two or three. Interradial areas 

 quite naked, or with only one or two small paxillae. 



This variety conforms in several respects with the admirable description given by 

 Danielssen and Koren * of the form they refer to the Solastcr affinis of Brandt. The 

 differences are, however, so marked that I cannot regard them as one and the same form ; 

 and in none of the specimens which I have examined from either the "Porcupine " or the 



1 Ni/t Mag. f. Naturvidensh., 1877, Bd. xxiii., 3, p. 57; Den Xorske Nordhavs-Expedition, 1S76-1S78, 

 Zoologi, xi. Asteroidea, 1884, p. 44, tab. viii. fig. 11, tab. ix. figs. 7, 8, 14. 



