J.iPANESE A8TER0IDEA. 35 



robust for the size of the animal, and rath(;r thickly covered with membrane. 

 The papula? are well-developed and distinct; and there are tlu-ee large 

 spiracle-formed pedicellarian apparatus on tlie disk. The odd interradial 

 plates and spines are very large, tlie latter being about 5 mm. long ; and 

 are strongly denticulate along the shaft, suggesting to a certain degree the 

 miniatm-e of a (7/f?rtr/.s-spiue. The knob-hke terminations of the tube-feet 

 are large and button-shaped. The genital foramina are discernible on each 

 side of the (jdd interradial plate, opposite the first supero-marginal plates 

 and near their inner edge. 



" iomZiY/es.— Station 50. 8(juth of Halifax, Nova Scotia. May 21, 1873. 

 Lat. 42° 8' 0" N., long 63° 39' 0" W. Depth 1250 fathoms. Blue mud. 

 Bottom temperature 38°.0 Fahr. ; surface temperature 45.°0 Fahr. 



" Station 46. Off the coast of North America, east of New Jersey. 

 May 6, 1873. Lat. 40° 17' 0" N., long. 66° 48' 0" W. Depth 1350 fathoms. 

 Blue mud. Bottom temperatm-e 37.°2 Falu-. ; surface temperature 40.°0 Fahr. 



"Station off the coast of Portugal. January 1873. (Kxact date and 

 station not recorded.) 



" Remarks. — Pararchaster armahis is characterised by the presence of 

 comb-formed pedicellarise on the abactinal area and in the actinal interradial 

 areas, and by their absence between the infero-marginal plates. The simplicity 

 of the armature of the infero-marginal plates (one lateral spine and sometimes a 

 small companion), and the comparatively large number of six or seven spines in 

 the fm-roAv series on the adambulacral x^ates, also serve to readily distinguish 

 this interesting form." 



With regard to the possible identity of Peerier's Archaster simplex 

 with P. armatvs Sl.\den makes the f (allowing remarks ['89, p. 6] : " The 

 asterid obtained during the ' Blake ' ch-edgings and described by Perriek 

 ['81, p. 28] under the name of Archaster simplex, is without doubt a Par- 

 archaster. It is, however, an immatm-e form, and I am unable to say from 

 the description given whether it belongs to an indei>endent species or is the 

 young of one of those herein described. The figm-e given ['84, p. 264] is 

 altogether unlike tlie smallest example of ParacMster arinatus in the cliaracter 

 of the armature both of the adambulacral and infero-marginal plates, and 



