556 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



Verrill). Heliaster microbrachia, from California and Mexico, and 

 extending to Panama and the Pearl Islands. Heliaster multiradiata, 

 from California, Mexico, the Galapagos Islands, and Sandwich Islands. 

 *Heliaster helianthus, off the coasts of Ecuador, Peru, and Chili. 

 Heliaster canopus, from the Island of Juan Fernandez. 



/3. Bathymetrical range : Shallow water. 



7. Nature of the Sea-bottom : Most of the species have been collected on rocks at 



low water. 

 The species collected by the Challenger is indicated in the above list by an asterisk. 



Chorological Synopsis of the Species herein mentioned. 



1. Heliaster helianthus (Lamarck), Dujardin and Hupe. 



Asterias helianthus, Lamarck, 1816, Hist. nat. anim. s. vert., t. ii. p. 558. 



Stellonia helianthus, Agassiz, 1835, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Neuchatel, t. i. p. 192. 



Asterias (Heliaster) helianthus, Gray, 1840, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. vi. p. 179. 



Asteraeanthion helianthus, Miiller and Troschel, 1842, System der Asteriden, p. 18. 



Heliaster helianthus, Dujardin and Hupe\ 1862, Hist. Nat. Zooph. Echin. (Suites a Buffon), p. 344. 



Locality. — Valparaiso. Shallow water. 



Remarks. — The examples collected at this locality show a great variation in the 

 number and length of the rays, and in the character of the abactinal spinulation. I see 

 no reason, however, for considering that they belong to more than the one species ; but 

 the circumstance brings into prominence the question of the validity of the characters by 

 which the species in this genus have been mainly distinguished. 



Family Pedicellasterice, Perrier, 1884. 



The famdy Pedicellasteridse was established by Perrier 1 in 1884 for the reception of 

 the genera Pedicellaster and Zoroaster. In the following year (1885), however, Zoroaster 

 was removed by Perrier 2 into the family Stichasteridse, and Pedicellaster was ranked in 

 the family Brisingidse. The family Pedicellasteridaa was thus by act dispersed, although 

 no mention of the circumstauce is made or explanation given. I am unable to agree 



1 Nnuv. Archives Mus. Hist. Nat., 2e Serie, 1884, t. vi., pp. 154, 167, 194. 



2 Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.), 1885, t. xix., Art. No. 8, p. 15. 



