JAPANESE ASTEROIDEA : G09 



looked by that observer. The farrow series consists of 7-9 spines, 

 arranged in a palmate form and connected together by a web- 

 like membrane which is not very distinct and is present only 

 between the basal halves of the spines (PI. XVIll, fig. 267). The 

 individual spines have somewhat the form of a rectangular prism, 

 with the end shaped like a wedge. Where the spines are more 

 numerous i.e. in the proximal half of the arms, the abcentral 

 spines of each plate overlap the adcentral ones of the next fol- 

 lowing, in such a way that the former lie on the inner side of 

 the latter. The outer series of adambulacral spines is separated 

 from the inner by a distinct groove running through the whole 

 length of the arms ; and each plate bears mostly three, some- 

 times two, and rarely four spines, which are much thicker and 

 shorter than those of the furrow series. When there are three 

 the middle one is usually the largest ; and each spine is more or 

 less prismatic in shape, with rounded end. At the adcentral 

 end of each adambulacral plate, nearly in line with the outer 

 series of spines, but a little to the inner side, there is a forcipi- 

 form pedicellaria about half as tall as the longest spine of the 

 inner series (PI. XVII, fig. 263 ; PI. XVIII, fig. 268). This was 

 probably mistaken by Lütken for an ordinary spine, because he 

 says that the cuter series consists usually of four spines. 



The mouth-plates are entirely hidden from view, and bear a 

 series of spines on the furrow margin in the same line with the 

 inner series of adambulacral spines. There are 10-12 spines to 

 each mouth- plate, the two series belonging to a pair meeting 

 each other at an acute angle ; the spines at the mouth end are 

 not particularly large. The individual spines are more or less 

 flattened and prismatic, and they generally decrease gradually in 



