Ib86.] PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 255 



CATALOGUE OF THE COLLECTION OP RECENT ECHINI IN THE 

 UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM (CORRECTED TO JULY 1, 

 1886). 



By RICHAKD RATIIBUIV. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The following catalogue is published for a twofold purpose. First, 

 in order to secure a permanent record of the species and sijecimens of 

 Echini contained in the U. S. National Museum, which have now, with 

 few exceptions, been completely identified and labeled; and second, 

 to i^resent in convenient form for reference such data as that collection 

 affords respecting the distribution of the numerous members of that 

 group. 



The National Museum collection of Echini is second, in this country, 

 only to that of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, at Harvard Col- 

 lege, both in size and comprehensiveness, but we have no means of 

 comparing it with European collections, although it is probably ex- 

 celled by few, if any, in the old world. It "now contains 152 species 

 that have been determined, but many species are represented by large 

 series of specimens, covering a wide range of distribution, both geo- 

 graphical and bathymetrical, and thus affording excellent opportunities 

 for the study of variation under different conditions of environment. 

 The materials composing this collection have been derived from many 

 sources, aiid credit is given in the list to all contributors, but a few of 

 these are deserving of special mention. 



The most important coutributious liave been made by the U. S. Fish 

 Commission, beginning in 1871 and continuing down to date. The 

 explorations of this Commission have extended along the eastern coast 

 of North America, from the Grand Bank of Newfoundland to the 

 northern coast of South America, and from the littoral zone into the 

 deepest water yet recorded off the Atlantic coast of the United States. 

 At the south, they have covered a large part of the Gulf of Mexico 

 and Caribbean Sea, including the shores of several of the West Indian 

 Islands and the Bahamas. Interesting specimens from the fishing banks 

 of Eastern North America have been received, through the Commis- 

 sion, from the Gloucester fishermen, many of whom were constantly 

 engaged in making collections in its behalf, from 1878 to 1880, Not 

 all of the Echini collected by the Fish Commission have yet been 

 turned over to the Museum, but representatives of nearly all the 

 species obtained and the bulk of the specimens have already been sent 

 in. The number of species with which the Commission is credited 

 on the following pages is 54. 



Of the interesting deep-sea collections made by the U. S. Coast Survey 

 steamer Blake, under the supervision of Mr. Alexander Agassiz, off 

 the eastern coast of the United States, and in the Gulf of Mexico and 



