50 " ENDEAVOUR " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



The proportion of R to r shows little diversity, ranging only 

 from 2.3 to 2.5. The largest specimen has R = 155 mm.; 

 r=60 mm. ; br at middle of ray, 30 mm. In colour, these 

 specimens are either tawny brown or deep brick red ; one of 

 the red ones has the central abactinal area hght yellowish- 

 gray in sharp contrast. Sixteen specimens. 



Locs. — Eighteen miles south-west by south of Lady ElHott 

 Island, Queensland, 18 fathoms. 



Twenty-five miles south-east of Double Island Point, 

 Queensland, 33 fathoms. 



Oreaster gracilis, Liitken. 



Oreaster gracilis, Liitken, Vid. Med., 1871, pp. 260, 264. 



The fact that this specimen comes from the same station as 

 all but one of the specimens of 0. australis makes me hesitate 

 to designate it by a different name, yet it is obviously different. 

 R=155 mm. ; r=48 mm. ; br at middle of ray=22 mm. R = 

 3 r. Not only are the rays thus much longer and more slender 

 proportionally than in 0. australis, but the meshes of the 

 abactinal skeleton are noticeably finer, and hence the papular 

 areas are much smaller. The colour is hght yellowish-gray. 

 I think there is no doubt that the specimen is 0. gracilis but I 

 beheve it may ultimately be shown that 0. gracilis is only a 

 form of 0. aus'tralis, the pecuharities of which are emphasised 

 in drying. 



Loc. — Eighteen miles south-west by south of Lady ElKott 

 Island, Queensland, 18 fathoms. 



Genus Asterodiscus, Gray. 

 Asterodiscus truncatus, Coleman. 



Asterodiscus truncatus, Coleman, Mem. Austr. Mus., iv., 14, 

 1911, p. 699. 



This is a fine series of this notable species, but there is 

 nothing to add to Coleman's careful description, save that the 

 species grows to a size much larger than his types. His 

 ho lo type has R = 103 mm., while his figured specimen has 

 R = 138 mm. The smallest of the " Endeavour " specimens 

 has R = 83, while the large specimens have R = 150-165 mm. 



