No. IX. ECHINODERMATA. 267 



•which, in spirit preparations, gives quite a papillate appear- 

 ance to the starfish. 



Upon the disk the spines are somewhat more crowded than 

 upon the rays ; and the ' eye '-spines at the tip of the rays 

 form a robust terminal fringe. The madreporiform plate is 

 obscure ; and of the large simple pedicellarise there are but 

 very few. 



Although this species resembles Stichaster in so many 

 respects, the arrangement of the dorsal ossicles is hardly such 

 as would include it within that genus. A. palceo cry st alius 

 may fairly, however, be regarded as a connecting link between 

 Aster acanthion and Stichaster. 



From the character of the ambulacral spines, the absence of 

 papulae, and the obscurity of the madreporiform body, we are 

 disposed to regard even the largest specimen we have as 

 being not yet fully developed : it measures 30 millims. in its 

 greatest diameter, and 5'5 millims. across the disk, and was 

 collected by Capt. Feilden in Discovery Bay. Depth 25 

 fathoms, hard bottom. Another individual from Cape Frazer 

 (80 fathoms) is only 10 millims. in greatest diameter, yet 

 presents all the characters of the larger specimen. 



Stichaster albulus (Stimps.), Verrill. 



Coll. Feilden: Franklin Pierce Bay, 15 fathoms; Proven, 

 13 fathoms. 



A little starfish with small disk and rounded or somewhat 

 arched rays, the number of which is almost invariably six, 

 three rays on one side being, as a rule, very much shorter 

 than those on the other. Proportion of the diameter of the 

 disk to that of the arms 1 : 5 or rather more. The ambu- 

 lacral furrows are wide, with suckers arranged in two simple 

 rows. On each interambulacral plate are two ' ambulacral ' 

 spines radiating slightly to the right and left. Closely succeeding 

 to those on the sides of the arms follow a series of three similar 

 spines, but not always a series opposite to each interambula- 

 cral plate, owing to the imbricating pieces being more widely 



