ACTINOPODOUS HOLOTHUEIOIDEA. 275 



It has three large perforations alternating with tlii'ee smaller holes, 

 often with the addition of some peripheral holes. The spire, 

 consisting of three pillars, is generally conical and low, with two 

 or three cross-beams. Frequently, there are in its place three 

 knobs representing the bases of as many pillars. Wine-red 

 corpuscles are rather scanty. 



The above descriptions seem to indicate that the skin is 

 at first thin and transparent. The calcareous deposits are more 

 numerous and more regularly and better formed, the younger the 

 animal is. On the other hand, wine-red corpuscles are scanty 

 in the young animal ; hence the want of coloration in it. They 

 increase in number as the animal grows older, and even the 

 deposits that still remain may be transformed partially and in 

 varying degrees into the wine-red substance, thus causing the red 

 coloring of the older individuals. 



I can not distinguish Aiikyroderma simile of Theel from A. 

 roretzii of v. Maeenzellek ; it is possible that this is due to the 

 insufficiency of the descriptions. But when it is remembered that 

 the " Challenger " specimens, v. Maeenzeller's specimens and my 

 owm have all come from almost the same spot in the Sagami 

 Sea, it seems reasonable to conclude that they all belong to one 

 and the same species. 



Locality ;— Japau (v. Marenzet.ler '81). ; "Challenger" KStat. 232, Saganu 

 Sea (Theel '86). 



