200 HABITS OF SOME AUSTRALIAN ECHINI, 



of rocks to whicli it adheres by its suckers. It is very common 

 on tlie rocks near Boncli, outside the Heads, but difficult to 

 obtain from tlie way in which, it wedges itself into crevices. All 

 the specimens are of a light chocolate-brown. The spines are 

 long and sharp and require to be very carefully handled. 



Sph(erechinus australicB, A. Agassiz. This is one of the most 

 beautiful sea urchins, from the brilliancy of the colouring of the 

 spines. I believe it has been found near Port Jackson, but as I 

 have only seen a very few species and never obtained one alive ^ 

 I know nothing of its habits. 



Temnopleurus toruematiciis, Klein. This is not only one of the 

 oldest known urohins, but it is one of the most widely diffused. 

 It is very common on all sandy beaches in the tropics, but probably 

 extends all round Australia. Professor Tate of Adelaide sent me 

 a specimen which came from South Australian waters. On the 

 north bank of the Endeavour Eiver there is a long sandy beach 

 outside the bar, on which a surf is always beating. This I found 

 strewn for miles with the same species in September 1879, and I 

 think there was seldom any beach I visited within the tropics 

 where I did not obtain specimens. At Townsville I used to get 

 a good many living individuals, washed up by the surf. It 

 evidently lives on sandy ground and will bear a considerable 

 amount of tossing by the waves without injury. In the fuU 

 grown urchins the test is of a dull yellow colour, and the sj^ines 

 of a dark green intermingled with colorless ones. They are very 

 sparingly scattered over the test. From the fact of finding so 

 many in one place I should think it went about on the sea 

 bottom in herds. I never saw any on the coral reefs nor near a 

 rocky coast. 



Salmacis. I am of opinion that all our Australian sjDecies of 

 Salmacis will need a thorough revision. The one I considered as 

 8. hicoloVy Agassiz, varies very niQch from the diagnosis and 

 figures in the '' Eevision," I think we may certainly say that we 

 have another species besides those enumerated by Mr. Agassiz, 



