JAPANESE ASTEEOIDEA. 225 



pointed spines. The inner series are placed close to the inner edge of the 

 plates, and are continuous from the arm-angle until near the tip, decreasing- 

 in size as they j)roceed outward, until they disappear altogether. The outer 

 series are slightly larger, and are placed at the extreme edge of the plates 

 on the cm:vatm"e where the abactinal aud lateral superficies unite : they are 

 continuous tlu'oughout the ray, excepting the innermost plate on each side 

 the median inteiTadial line. 



" The infero-marginal plates are liigher tlian broad, and flush with the 

 superior series. Each plate bears a single lateral spine, wliich is short, 

 tapering continuously from base to tip, sharply pointed and slightly com- 

 pressed. On the inner half of the ray, two similar and slightly smaller 

 spines are situated on the median line of the plate — one, which is the 

 smallest, not far from the inner edge of the plate adjoining the 

 adambulacral plates, and the other about midway between this spine 

 and the lateral spine, the tlu-ee forming a lineal series transverse in 

 relation to the direction of the ray. On the outer portion of the ray the 

 inner spine is aborted or indistinguishable from the squamules of the plate. 

 When the side or lateral wall of the ray is placed in direct view, tha 

 above-mentioned spines of the infero-marginal plates are all visible, and 

 they, together with the spinelets of the supero-marginal plates, appear to 

 form a continuous vertical series. The lateral spine is very little, if at all, 

 longer than the outer spine on the supero-marginal -plsiie, and all these 

 spines stand at an angle to the superficies of the plate, and are directed 

 upward and outward. Very shoi-t, widely spaced, papilliform squamules are 

 distributed over the surface of the infero-marginal plates, and the granula- 

 tion of the supero-marginal series partakes of the same character, and is 

 indistinguishable at the jimction of the plates. 



" The armatm-e of the adambulacral plates consists of short, robust, 

 subpapiUiform spinelets, wliich do not taper, and stand more or less per- 

 pendicular to the surface of the. plate. The fmTow series consists of four 

 or five spines, and their base line forms a slight angle projecting into the 

 f mTow ; the middle spinelets are a shade larger and more robust than the 

 others. The actinal surface of the plate behind the fmTOw series is occupied 



