ASTEROIDEA OF NORTH PACIFIC AND ADJACENT WATERS FISHER. 109 



tubules. Each bundle is attached to a cross ridge formed by the carinate transverse 

 lobes of the cruciform plates. Tube feet very large, with pointed tips, and without 

 calcareous deposits in the walls. 



Variations. — Small anil medium-sized specimens differ from the above in hav- 

 ing relatively shorter rays and less conspicuous spines. For instance : R = 106 mm. ; 

 r=16mm.; R = 6.6r; again, R=4.5mm. ;r = 9 mm.;R = 5r., and so on. In the 

 first of these two specimens, the marginal spines are rather broader and shorter 

 than in very large examples, and in the latter specimen the}' are only about one-half 

 as long (relatively) and much broader in proportion. In the pro.ximal part of ray 

 there are but three actinal adambulacral spines and in the distal portion only two. 

 Among the many examples of this species available, some are as small as R = 8 mm. 

 These do not show any marginal spines, and indeed the latter do not appear in a rec- 

 ognizable form uiUil R = 20 mm. Here they are scarcely to be differentiated from 

 the other spinelets, being merely broader and flatter. I find no difficulty in sepa- 

 rating even these small specimens from brevispina on the character of the latter's 

 chaffy inferomarginal spinelets or granules and the adambulacral armature. 



Two unusually large specimens were taken at stations 4203 and 4219, in Queen 

 Charlotte Sound and Admiralty Inlet, British Columbia. In general features they 

 agree very well with Californian examples. R=270 mm.; r = oO mm.; R = 9 r. In 

 that from 420.3 the paxillar granules are not so flat toppeil nor so crowded as in the 

 large Californian examples and the pa.xilhe along central area of ray and on disk are 

 subcircular and slightly convex, tlie slender marginal spinelets being in evitlence. In 

 Californian e::amples the central paxilhe are usually crowded, four or five sided, flat 

 topped, and very compact in every way. In these northern specimens the marginal 

 spines are a trifle slenderer and k)nger; that is, are more tapering and less obviously 

 lanceolate, the base being the broadest part of the spine. The two spinelets which 

 form on the inner half of the plate a continuation of the series of marginal spines 

 are flattened, chi.sel shaped, and much more conspicuous than in Californian speci- 

 mens, where the same spinelets are usually lanceolate. The other actinal spinelets 

 are longer and slenderer than in the Californian examples. The same is true of 

 spinelets of the intermediate plates. The ailambulacra! armature is essentially 

 alike in specimens from the two regions. These differences are much less marked 

 in smaller specimens, although the northern L'xamples have slenderer and usually 

 slightly longer spines and spinelets. 



Type-locality. — Unknown. 



Distribution. —Southeast Alaska (Kasaan Bay) to San Diego, California, and 

 probably to Mazatlan, Mexico; found in 10 to 189 fathoms, usually in less than 80 

 fathoms; so far as known not found above lowest tide marks. 



