754 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The residue left l)y the evaporation of an alcoholic solution -was freely soluble 

 in ether, chloroform, carbon disulphide, benzine, and water, but insoluble in 

 glycerin. It became a kind of violet with iodine in potassium iodide, a dirty 

 yellow-brown with nitric acid, and a kind of orange with sulphuric acid. 



I'alceocomatella diffidlis, Calometra diwoidea, Asterometra longlcin^a, Steno- 

 metra quinquecostata, Parametra compressa, Perissometra flexilis, P. patula, P. 

 rohusta. Strotometra parvipiima, Cyllometra manca, Adelovietra angustiradia, and 

 Perometra ptisilla. — As this solution was very dilute it was evaporated in a 

 vacuum, and left a deep yellow residue. Dissolved in alcohol this furnished a 

 yellow solution approaching orange. In this no bands were visible, but it ab- 

 sorbed the violet end of the spectrum. The other characters resembled those of 

 the pigment of Aritedon bifida. The residue became a dark brown-violet with sul- 

 phuric acid, and was scarcely changed by nitric acid. 



Aglnometra valida, Thalassometra pergracUis, Perissometra angusticalyx, 

 Chondrometra aculeata^ PmciLotiietra acoela, Nepiometra Icevis, and Thaumatocrinus 

 nareai. — The yellow solution on evaporation in a vacuum left a kind of purplish 

 brown residue which dissolved in rectified spirits with an orange color. It strongly 

 absorbed the violet end of the spectrum, but showed no distinct bands. There 

 was a feeble shading present in green and a very faint one at D; the latter be- 

 came more distinct on the addition of caustic potash, which made the fluid redder. 

 There was not enough pigment left for further examination. 



Comasterid from Banda} — Carpenter believes that it was from this that Pro- 

 fessor Moselcy obtained his antedonin. The solution had a faint yellowish red 

 tint and showed two faint bands in the green, which MacMunn took for those of 

 antedonin. On evaporation in a vacuum a dull red residue was left; this was 

 soluble in alcohol and gave the antedonin bands faintly. By the action of acids 

 and alkalines it was evident that antedonin, somewhat altered by time, was present. 

 No lipochrome could be detected in the residue. 



Large comMsterid from. Banda} — The solution was yellow, and on evapora- 

 tion in a vacuum left a violet brown residue soluble in alcohol, with a violet red color 

 in deep layei-s, and orange in thinner ones. When dissolved in alcohol it strongly 

 absorbed the violet end of the spectrum and showed no distinct bands. Hydro- 

 chloric acid made the color paler, approaching yellow, and no bands were seen. 

 Caustic potash made the fluid redder and caused a faint shadow to appear at D, 

 while a precipitate formed. The residue became yellow with nitric acid, and brown 

 with sulphuric acid. 



Gom,at'ula rotalaria from. Cape York. — The alcoholic solution was deep yel- 

 low, and somewhat reddish in a deep layer. On evaporation in a vacuum it left 

 a red residue containing crystals of chloride of sodium. The rectified spirit extract 

 was reddish in deep and yellow in thin layers, and this gave a faint antedonin 

 spectrum. The residue was also soluble in chloroform, the solution strongly ab- 

 sorbing the violet end of the spectrum and showing some faint bands in green. 



'The comasterids obtained by the ChaUenger at Banda were Capillaster eentosa, C. multiradiata, Co- 

 master multibrachiata, Comantlieria hriareua, ComantMna schtegelii, Comanthua annulata, and C. parvicirra. 



