SEA LILIES, STARFISHES, ETC. CLARK. 123 



Colour, in alcohol or dry, pale purplish gray, the muscles 

 around the bases of the primary spines, deep brown ; small 

 spines nearly white when dry ; primary spines more or less 

 pale purple or hght gray ; ambulacral " brushes " around 

 mouth, nearly black. 



Although resembling Maretia ovata (Leske) {=planulata, 

 auct.) in form of test and in its generic characters, this species 

 is easily distinguished by the longer and narrower posterior 

 petals, the less complete anterior petals and the greater 

 number of abactinal primarv^ tubercles, particularl}- on 

 posterior half of test. The primary spines are somewhat 

 shorter, and those of the actinal surface are scarcely half as- 

 numerous as in M. ovata. The pedicellariae also offer some 

 striking differences between the two species. The occurrence 

 of the genus in Bass Strait is very interesting, for it is 

 essentially a shallow water, tropical group, and has been 

 reported previously from only as far south as Port Jackson, 

 New South Wales. While no depth is recorded for the 

 station where 31. peloria was taken, there is good reason for 

 believing it was in the neighbourhood of 100 fathoms, for 

 there is a station recorded "' twenty-five miles south-west of 

 Cape Everard, Victoria, 83-98 fathoms." In the Dutch East 

 Indies, M. ovata was taken by the " Siboga " at one station 

 in 83 fathoms, but as a rule M. ovata occurs from low water 

 mark to about 20 fathoms. The largest specimen pi M. ovata 

 I have found recorded is 65 mm. long, but this is unusual, 

 and most specimens are from 30 to 50 mm. 



Loc. — Twenty-six miles south-west of Cape Everard, 

 Victoria. Three specimens. 



