JAPANESE ASTEEOIDEA. 41 



spaced on the outer lialf of the ray. Tlie crown consists of four to seven 

 short, delicate, tapering spinelets, which radiate outward nearly horizontally, 

 and appear to- proceed almost from the centre of the tabulum. A few have 

 a small central spinelet, more elongate and robust than the sm-rounding 

 series. Upon the disk and at the extreme base of the rays a number of 

 larger and specially-armed paxillee are distributed amongst the general paxillae 

 above described. Each of these bears an elongate conical, tapering, robust, 

 vertical spinelet, smTounded at the base by a ruff-like collarette of twenty or 

 more minute ciliary thornlets. The central spine is powerful, and may 

 measure 2 to 3 mm., Init the length decreases as the x^^xillœ recede from 

 the centre of the disk. The disposition of these armed x^axillse is somewhat 

 irregular ; they are, however, confined to a median radial area, and two or 

 perhaps tlu-ee irregularly defined longitudinal lines may be distinguished ; 

 their presence amongst the small and comparatively inconspicuous general 

 paxillœ of the abactinal sm'face forms a striking featm'e in tlie species. 



" The supero-marginal plates, tliirty-eight in number from the inter- 

 radial line to the extremity, form a Avell-defined though rather narrow border 

 to the rays. The breadth, height, and length are about subequal, the last 

 dimension being slightly in excess, and the plates are slightly convex and 

 subtubercular abactiually. Each j^late bears a robust conical, tapering sjoine, 

 about à mm. in length midway along the ray, directed perpendicularly to 

 the abactinal plane of the ray. These spines diminish a trifle in length as 

 they ax^proach the base of the ra}', but increase in robustness; whilst 

 they decrease both in length and robustness on the outer liavi of the ray. 

 On the outer side of this s^Dine is usually a smaller and more delicate 

 sx^inelet directed outward at an angle of about 45°, and occasionally two may 

 be present, and sometimes they are little more than elongate mihary 

 spinelets. The rest of the plate is covered with numerous very short, 

 delicate, pointed miliary thornlets. 



" The infero-marginal plates alternate with the sux)erior series, and their 

 dimensions are subequal. Each plate bears tln-ee robust, conical tapering, 

 pointed sx^ines, similar to those on the sux)ero-marginal x^lates. These sx3ines 

 foim a series along the median transverse line of the plate ; the outermost 



