JAPANESE ASTEROIDEA. 275 



tliey merge so gradually into the rounding of tlie lateral wall. On the outt^r 

 part, however, they are more distinctly curved over and flattened on the abac- 

 tinal area. The sm-face of the plates in relation to one another forms a conti- 

 nuous plane. On the inner part of the ray the height is about one-third greater 

 than the length, and fm'ther outward than midway along the ray the dimen- 

 sions are nearly subequal. The surface of the plates is closely covered 

 with short obtusely tipped papillae, equal in length but slightly more robust 

 along the median region of the plate ; and all so closely placed as to give 

 the appearance of coarse velvet pile. The supero-marginal plates bear no 

 spinelets. 



" The infero-marginal plates correspond to the superior series, each 

 plate being equal in length to its companion in the upper series. Their 

 height, however, is shghtly less, and they are well curved upon the actinal 

 smface. Their surface is covered with short close-set papill£e similar to 

 those on the supero-marginal plates, wliicli become slightly larger and 

 more spiniform at the end of the plate adjacent to the adambulacral plates. 

 Each plate bears along the upper half of the aboral margin a series of four 

 (normally, but sometimes three) small tapering spinelets. The uppermost 

 spine is the smallest, the rest subequal or with either the lowest or the 

 median spine slightly longest. They are closely appressed to the side of 

 the ray, and are directed at a slight angle upward : the position of the 

 series on the plate being also sometimes very slightly oblique. 



" The adambulacral plates are elongate, large, with a faintly convex 

 margin towards the fm'row. Their armature consists of a fm'row series of 

 six or seven rather long, delicate, cylindrical spinelets, equal in length, 

 covered with membrane, and standing parallel to one another. The series 

 or ' combs ' thus formed are distinctly spaced from the neighbom-ing series 

 on adjacent plates. On the actinal sm"face of the plate and near to the 

 marginal series is a longitudinal series of tlnee or fom* spines, slightly 

 shorter and more robust, widely and irregularly spaced ; and external to 

 these is another longitudinal series of four or five similar spines, but even 

 more iiTegular in disposition : indeed, so far is this earned in both cases 

 that it is often impossible to distinguish any regular serial arrangement at 



