104 " ENDEAVOUR " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



when the individual is about half grown (test diameter, 

 25 mm.), after which they may increase greatly in thick- 

 ness, spininess and general bizarre appearance ; they may 

 decrease in length, probably from attrition, for the largest 

 specimen in the present series has no primarj'^ 25 mm. 

 long. This specimen, by the way, comes from the same 

 station (and bears the same registered number), as the 

 largest and most typical example of G. geranioides ; in 

 colour it is somewhat like the latter, as well as in the 

 character of the primary spines, but the test is that of a 

 perfectly typical G. geranioides. I confess to being uncertain 

 as to the true interrelationships of the Australasian species of 

 Goniocidaris. It will be noticed that all the specimens of 

 G. clypeata taken by the " Endeavour " are from southern and 

 eastern Tasmania ; those of G. geranioides are from southern 

 and western Tasmania and South Austraha ; while the range 

 of G. tubaria is from northern New South Wales southward 

 and westward to western South Austraha, barely touching 

 Tasmania. The specimen listed from Oyster Bay, Tasmania, 

 is, however, a perfectly typical G. tubaria. Unfortunately we 

 know very little of G. umbraculum from New Zealand, and only 

 three old, bare tests are available for my study. After ex- 

 amination of the evidence I can secure, I am inclined to think 

 that we shall ultimately consider G. tubaria and G. geranioides 

 as one species (for which the latter name will be used) but 

 separate subspecies, while the form here hsted as G. clypeata 

 will prove to be identical with G. umbraculum, which will in 

 turn be considered a sub-species of G. geranioides. The Aus- 

 tralasian forms of Goniocidaris would then hst as follows : — 



G. geranioides (Lamarck). — Southern Tasmania and west- 

 ward to the Great Austrahan Bight. 



G. g. tubaria (Lamarck). — Southern coasts of continental 

 Australia, from northern New South Wales to central Western 

 Australia. 



G. g. umbraculum (Hutton). — Eastern Tasmania and New 

 Zealand. I think G. umbraculum is undoubtedly distinct 

 from the Japanese G. clypeata, but am unable to give any 

 satisfactory differences at present. 



Locs. — Eleven miles south-east of Ballina, New South 

 Wales, 27-29 fathoms. 



Six miles east of Cape Hawke, New South Wales, 47-50 

 fathoms. 



Shoalhaven Bight, New South Wales, 15-45 fathoms. 



Eastern Slope, Bass Strait, 80-200 fathoms. 



Twenty miles east of Babel Island, Bass Strait, 65 fathoms. 



