NO. 19.] ECHINODERMS OF CONNECTICUT. Ill 



on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, extending from the Aleutian 

 Islands along the American shore as far south as British Columbia 

 and on the Asiatic shore southward to Japan. In the more 

 northern parts of its wide range it is found near low-water mark, 

 but farther south it occurs only in deeper water. It has been 

 collected from a depth of more than eight hundred fathoms. 



The color of the body in life is usually purplish brown or 

 reddish brown, some specimens inclining to purple while others 

 are distinctly red. When young, a paler red color predominates. 

 Many individuals have the ambulacral areas darker red than the 

 remainder of the body. In alcohol, the color changes to a dark 

 green or brown, and the alcohol dissolves so much of the pig- 

 ment as to become deeply colored. Dried specimens are" likewise 

 dark green or brown. Verrill states that the fishermen sometimes 

 made an indelible marking ink by grinding up the skins and 

 spines of these animals and mixing with water. 



The body is nearly circular in outline, but is indented at one 

 point, which indicates the position of the anus. The surface of 

 the body is everywhere thickly covered with minute spines (Plate 

 XXVII), so delicate and closely placed as to form a velvety 

 covering. 



On the aboral surface the ambulacral areas are plainly marked 

 by the position of the respiratory tube-feet. These areas are 

 symmetrically placed about the central plate, and constitute the 

 so-called petals. 



In the test after the removal of the spines (Fig. 14), the 

 position of the petals is clearly shown as forming the aboral ends 

 of the ambulacral areas (amb). The interambulacral areas like- 

 wise bear tube-feet, but they are here much smaller than those of 

 the petals. At the tips of the ambulacral areas the position of the 

 terminal tentacle is indicated, and between them the four openings 

 of the genital glands. 



On the oral surface the ambulacral areas are marked by fur- 

 rows (Plate XXVII). The peristome is very small (Plate 

 XXIII), although the five calcareous teeth are well developed and 

 very sharp. 



In many localities the species is so abundant as to form an 

 important part of the food supply of certain fishes, particularly 

 of the flounder, codfish, and tautog. 





