1 I BULLETIN 76, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



10 or r_' superomargina] spinea bo the pinto proximally, while the smaller has about six. 

 The larger has frequently three or four in fero marginal spines, and the intermarginal 

 span- of the proximal half of the ray is filled irregularly with similar grooved spines; 

 the smaller has regularly two inferomarginal spines and a single regular very short 

 scries of intermarginals. The spines are stouter in the larger specimens. Both have 

 the adambulacral spines 2-3 proximally, bu< in the larger the sequence is irregular; 

 a \ei\ few plates have four spines. The abactinal crossed pedicellariae are not 

 numerous and do not form complete circles around the spinelets. The actinal crossed 

 pedicellariae are very closely similar in size and details to those from Kamchatkan 

 specimens, as are also the straight pedicellariae. 



In the Larger specimen the carina! series of spines is not discernible at all; in the 

 smaller it is well marked. 



4. Norton Sound, Alaska (pi. 2, fig. 2; pi. 3, fig. 4). — There are five large speci- 

 mens, no. 7621, from which the type of VerrhTs nortonensis was selected. The largest 

 measures R 120 mm., r 36 mm., R=3.3 r; breadth of ray at base variable, about 

 equal to minor radius. 



These specimens are quite comparable to those from Petropavlovsk, being 

 characterized by small but variable abactinal spinelets, few abactinal crossed pedicel- 

 lariae, but numerous small straight ones, six or seven stout, grooved, supermarginal 

 spines, moderately slender to distinctly robust gouge-shaped inferomarginal spines, 

 and slender ungrooved to stout, grooved subambulacral spines. There are usually 

 two and three, or two and two adambulacral spines proximally, though the regularity 

 is often broken. 



Two large specimens of the same size differ in that one has nearly twice as many 

 abactinal spines as the other. The example with the more numerous spines has them 

 stouter, often broadened and gouge-shaped at the tip, and with fairly complete 

 circumspinal wreaths of pedicellariae — about as numerous as in southern Bering 

 Sea examples. The other one has more nearly cylindrical and bluntly pointed spine- 

 lets and perhaps half as many crossed pedicellariae. 



In his description of Allasterias rathbuni nortonensis Verrill says that the type 

 and only specimen seen "presents several rather strongly marked characters" but 

 does not enumerate them beyond saying that "the characters that seem most impor- 

 tant are the smaller size and the stouter form of the major straight pedicellariae. The 

 dorsal and marginal spines are longer than in the typical form and the papulae are 

 more numerous." 



The straight pedicellariae (pi. 7, figs. 1, la) are not more robust than in specimens 

 from other localities, there being variation hi this regard. In an example with R 

 114 mm., the actinal straight pedicellariae are 0.75 to 0.85 mm., and hence pretty 

 close to those of the cotype and of Kamchatkan specimens. The tips of the jaws are 

 more elaborately spiny than in either of the above. 



The crossed pedicellariae (pi. 4, fig. 4) are closely similar to those of the cotype, 

 though Larger. The abactinal are about 0.26 mm. long, and the actinal from 0.27 to 

 0.315. ; hence they are nearly as in Petropavlovsk examples. The form is also closely 

 similar, the jaws being of the stouter type that is found in some of the heavier spined 

 Petropavlovsk specimens 



