174 K. MITSUKURI : STUDIES ON 



of water by spearing from the boat. Unfortunately, all the 

 specimens became very much distorted during their transmission 

 to Tokyo. 



Although I obtained this species only in Öshima, there is 

 very little doubt that it occurs in the Liu-Kiu group also ; for 

 when I showed my sketch of this species to Nabisa, an intelligent 

 native fisherman, he at once recognized it and said that in his 

 part of the islands it was called " Daru-ga," meaning " skin that 

 hangs down." 



This species evidently belongs to that group of the Stichopus- 

 species which have as their calcareous deposits C- shaped 

 bodies and one or more kinds of tables with or without 

 incomplete rosettes, and which are very difficult to distinguish 

 from one another. It seems very probable that some of these 

 species will be found to be synonyms representing diflerent ages 

 or more local varieties of one and the same species. The present 

 species can not be identified with any of the species hitherto 

 described. Wliile I am prepared to learn that it is identical 

 with one of the already known species, I have at present no 

 grounds for thinking so ; and as there are well-marked differences 

 from any of the species already described, I have no choice but 

 to describe this as a distinct and new species. 



The species is certainly close to S. variegatus and perhaps 

 closest to S. naso. 



The species is called " Gazumaru " in Japan. 



