JAPANESE ASTEROIDEA. 29 



" The x^apidae are very small aud numerous, but coiifiued to an area at 

 the base of the rays, which does not extend beyond the fourth supero- 

 marginal plate. The area occupies nearly the whole breadth l)etween the 

 supero-marginal plates, and extends well upon the disk, l)ut no papuloe are 

 present along a broad band which traverses the median interradial line. 



"No j)ödicellari£e of any kind are found upon this species. 



" Colour in alcohol, a dirty bleached ashy grey. 



" IndivichiaJ variation. — ^There is a fragmentary specimen from Station 

 235, in a very bad condition, of a much smaller example than the type 

 above described, in which the spines of the actinal surface generally are 

 proportionately much more delicate. From their length and character, I am 

 disposed to consider this a feature of individual or even locational variation, 

 rather than a phase of gi'owth ; a remark, however, wliicli is merely con- 

 jectm-al, for its vaHdity could only be x)i'oved by the examination of a large 

 series of specimens. 



" Localities. — Station 237. Off the coast of Japan, south of Kawatsu. 

 June 17, 1875. Lat. 34° 37' 0" N., long. 140° 32' 0" E. Depth 1875 fathoms. 

 Blue mud. Bottom temperatm-e 35°.3 Fahr. ; sm-face temperature 73°.0 Falu-. 



"Station 235. Off Japan, south of Omae Saki. June 4, 1875. Lat. 

 34° 7' 0" N., long. 138° 0' 0" £. Depth 565 fathoms. Green mud. Bottom 

 temperatm-e 38 .°1 Fahr. ; sm-face temperature 73°.0 Fain. 



" Bemarhs. — Pararchaster semisqvmnatus and PararcJiaster antardicns are 



readily distinguished from the other species of the genus by the absence of 



pedicellarise and the simplicity of the spinulation of the abactinal plates. 



Tlie differences between the two forms are discussed in detail in the 



description of Pararchaster antarcticiis. 



"If these two species and the variety are viewed together as an 

 independent or sjoecially characterised type of the genus, their distribution 

 is very remarkable and instructive, Pararchaster semisquamatus of the North 

 Pacific being represented by a variety in the North Atlantic, wliilst the 

 closely-aUied species Pararchaster antarcticiis, from the Southern Ocean, 

 ï)resents some of the characters of the typical or Pacific form of Pararchctster 

 scmisqiiamatns, as well as some of its Atlantic variety occidentaJis. 



