JAPANESE ASTEEOroEA. 



639 



Unless the specimens have been subjected to distortion before 

 or during preservation, the actinal surface is perfectly plane, be- 

 ing usually hrmly applied to the substratum in life. The abac- 

 tinal side is notably convex, but the degree of the convexity 

 varies a good deal, and there is sometimes an elongated radiating 

 groove in each interradius. Although the whole body is very flexible 

 in hfe and can be adapted almost to any unevenness of the 

 surface of the recks, on \vhich this specimen commonly lives, 



