200 Transactions. — Zoology. 



bury Museum from Wellington, and one from Nelson in the 

 Otago Museum. Mr. H. B. Kirk informs me that he has 

 occasionally seen specimens on the coast near Wellington at 

 low water, and I have seen a fine specimen collected by Mr. 

 A. Haylock at Lyall Bay, the abactinal surface of which is 

 dull reddish-purple variegated with white and a few spots of 

 deep madder-brown, and white variegated with purplish-grey 

 beneath. 



Astrogonium pulchellum, Gray. 



This fine species is not common in New Zealand waters. 

 It appears to frequent sheltered bays and harbours, on a stony 

 or sandy bottom. I have received a very fine specimen from 

 Mr. Cecil Howard, of Christchurch, which was brought on 

 shore in a fisherman's net at the Bluff. It measures 54mm. 

 from the centre of the disc to the tips of the rays. I have 

 also a specimen from the Wellington Harbour of what 

 Professor Hutton has called "variety B" (Cat. Ech. of 

 N.Z., p. 8), which is much smaller than typical specimens of 

 A. pulchellum. The most striking differences, however, are 

 m the apical plates. These are very little swollen, although 

 longer than the other marginal plates. In typical specimens 

 of this species the apical plates are much swollen, forming the 

 most striking character of the species, and I have seen young- 

 specimens about the same size as specimens of the variety, 

 with these plates very prominent, contrasting strongly with 

 the same plates of the variety. Outside of these plates" in the 

 variety there are three other rather small but distinct and 

 fairly well developed plates — two broad ones below, and a 

 smaller one, which is very prominent, above. Typical speci- 

 mens usually have one or two supplementary plates outside 

 the large swollen apical plates, but these are always quite 

 rudimentary. These differences are so well marked that 

 when good series of both forms are obtained and compared 

 it may be necessary to separate them and establish a new 

 species for the smaller form. 



Asterias (Strolasterias) calamaria, Gray. 



This widely ranging species is exceedingly abundant in 

 Wellington Harbour. It may be found on rocks and stones 

 from low-water mark to 10 or 12 fathoms. When I first 

 began to observe this starfish I came to the conclusion that 

 two species had been grouped under one name, for I found 

 that blue specimens and specimens marbled with blue may 

 be obtained from deep water, but rarely, if ever, from near 

 low-water mark; while brown, yellowish - brown sometimes 

 marbled with reddish - brown, and grey specimens may be 



