422 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



median suture. The first series contains 7 or 8 spines increasing in 

 length toward the median suture. The second, less regular, contains 

 5 or 6 spines. 



Madreporic body medium-sized, situated one-third r from center. 

 It is roughly 3-sided and surrounded by several plates larger than 

 the neighboring abactinal plates. 



Type.—C2it. No. 32644, U. S. N. M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5645, Buton Strait, Celebes, 206 fathoms, 

 bottom not recorded; 1 specimen. 



Distribution. — Known only from type-locality. 



Genus NEPANTHIA Gray. 



Nepanthia Geay, 1840, p. 287. Type, A'', maculata Gray. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF NEPANTHIA HEREIN DESCRIBED. 



aK Rays 5, marginal plates small, not defining ambitus, actinal surface convex, 

 ray cylindrical maculata, p. 422. 



a\ Rays 5 to 7 ; inferomarginal plates conspicuous, defining ambitus ; actinal 

 surface subplane, abactinal surface convex jouMni, p. 42R. 



NEPANTHIA MACULATA Gray. 



Plate 113, figs. 3, 4. 



Nepanthia maculata Gray, 1840, p. 287. — Pebeiek, 1875, p. 322. — Sladen, 

 1889, p. 388, pi. 64, figs. 1-4. 



Notes on Philippine specimens. — It is not possible to be certain 

 whether these specimens are really N. maculata or a closely allied 

 species. They present some points of difference from Sladen's figures, 

 and, as he states, the few descriptions are rather vague. In the 

 largest specimen 11=50 mm., r=8 mm.; R=6.25 r; breadth of ray 

 at base 9 mm. 



The differences which these specimens present when compared with 

 Sladen's plate will be noted. The form of the ray is practically the 

 same. The abactinal area of crescentiform plates shows this differ- 

 ence, that the little plate just adorad to each papula, as clearly shown 

 in Sladen's figure 3, is lacking in all the Albatross examples. This 

 median area is about 6 to 8 plates wide, counting along an oblique 

 series (as in Sladen's figusie). Then come on either side between the 

 crescentic plates and the inferomarginals, at base of ray, about 6 

 longitudinal series of superficially rectangular plates, the plates of 

 the outer 2 series being smaller than the others. Then, counting 

 toward the furrow and including the inferomarginal series, 5 series 

 of plates (close to intcrbrachium 7 series) the plates of the 2 inner 

 series much larger than those of the outer 3 or 4. 



The greatest difference is observable in regard to the disposition of 

 the adambulacral spinelets. Sladen states that his figure 4 represents 



