NO. 5 CLARK : ECHINI OF WARMER EASTERN PACIFIC 277 



putable. Although large and strikingly colored, no specimens seem to have 

 been collected until well into the twentieth century. It is probable that 

 specimens secured accidentally by dredge or trawl were so badly damaged 

 that they were not brought ashore, and the few that escaped that fate were 

 not attractive enough to lead anyone, not a specialist in sea-urchins, to give 

 them any attention. The urchin is so common in the limited area it inhabits 

 that the Velero has brought in altogether 240 specimens from 59 stations, 

 ranging in horizontal diameter from 2 mm to just over 100. The height of 

 the low test is usually less than half its diameter, a specimen 80 mm h. d. 

 having a height of about 35 mm. Young individuals are quite flat, a speci- 

 men 30 mm across being only 1 1 mm high. The test is remarkably fragile, 

 only a millimeter thick in a well-grown adult. As a rule the colors are 

 light and often bright. A normal specimen has the test rose red or pink with 

 a more or less violet cast on the upper side, becoming more and more violet 

 orally. The small spines are much the same color but the larger ones are 

 orange or vermilion at base becoming very light, almost white on the distal 

 part. The conspicuous pedicellariae are nearly white. Occasional speci- 

 mens are much darker, with test dusky purple and dull orange, and the 

 spines dull gray or violet or even brown. When freshly caught or well pre- 

 served, either in alcohol or dry, the slender, delicate spines varied, more or 

 less bright colors compel admiration. 



Distribution. — The Velero has taken this fine sea-urchin at 59 stations 

 in depths of 39-380 fms off the coast of southern California. The material 

 collected by the Albatross on which the species was based, was taken 

 between northern Washington (47° 46' N) and the Mexican boundary 

 (32° 32' 30") in depths of 48 to 417 fms. The Velero took no specimens 

 at any station north of 34° 06' 30" or south of 32° 34' 50", in depths of 

 40 to 380 fms, except one half grown specimen labeled as from Station 

 1246-41, which is off Cedros Island, Lower California, in 81-83 fms. 

 (There is no good reason for doubting the label with this specimen but it 

 is odd that no other specimens of fragilis have been taken in waters south 

 of the United States.) It may properly be considered a definitely North 

 American sea-urchin. According to other authors the range is from Van- 

 couver Island to Lower California. 



Type.—R. T. Jackson Collection No. 838. 



Depth.— 39-640 fms. 



Type locality. — Catalina Island. 



Specimens examined. — 240 specimens from 59 stations. 



