556 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



widely spearated, scarcely reaching in height half the width of the segments which 

 bear them. The terminal 4 or 5 segments taper to a point and do not bear distinct 

 teeth. Pp is 30 mm. long, similar to Pd but considerably less stout basally. Pi is 

 25 mm. long, resembling Pp but considerably less stout basally; it is composed of 

 about 45 segments. P2 is from 10 to 12 mm. long, small, weak, and slender, with 

 about 30 segments. P3 is similar, but only 7 mm. long. P4 is similar, 6 mm. long. 

 P5 and the following pinnules are without terminal combs, 5 mm. long with 16 seg- 

 ments of which the first 4 are not quite so long as broad and have their distal angles 

 cut away, and the remainder are about as long as broad and smooth. After remaining 

 uniform for some time the pinnules slowly increase in length and in the number of 

 their component segments, the distal pinnules being 12 mm. long, slender, with about 

 30 segments of which the first 2 are short and the remainder are about as long as broad. 

 The second-fourth or -fifth segments of the middle pinnules are slightly produced 

 dorsally, giving the dorsal profile of these pinnules a serrate outline. The outer 

 surface of the pinnule segments is finely spinous, but the distal ends are not over- 

 lapping. 



The color in alcohol varies from white to dark brown, often with a dark lateral 

 line on the division series and arms. 



Notes. — In the specimen from off Hong Kong Harbor the cirri are XXVHI 

 31-34, from 35 to 40 mm. in length. The segments in the outer half are broader 

 than long, highly polished, and bear high and sharp carinate processes. There 

 are about 40 arms 150 mm. long. All of the division series are 4 (3 + 4). 



This specimen appears undoubtedly to be referable to Comanthus pinguis, 

 although the distal edges of the brachials and of the elements of the division series 

 are less prominent than usual and the cirri are rather longer and more slender than 

 is ordinarily the case. It agrees well, however, with specimens at hand from various 

 localities in southern Japan. 



The small number of arms and the processes on the distal cirrus segments 

 distinguish it from the variety of Comanthus bennetti occurring at St. Matthias 

 Island. 



All 3 of the specimens from northeast of Swatow are very large. One has 42 

 arms. Another apparently has 41 arms; the cirri have 31-33 segments and are 40 

 mm. long. The third is similar to the other two. 



The specimen from south of the Goto Islands consists of a centrodorsal and arm 

 bases. There apparently were about 40 arms. 



One of the specimens collected by Captain Christiansen between the Goto 

 Islands and Nagasaki has 40 arms. One IIIBr series is missing, the loss being com- 

 pensated by the development of a IVBr series on the inner side of a IIIBr series. 

 One of the IIBr series is 2, all of the other division series being 4 (3+4). The disk 

 is 40 mm. in diameter. Another specimen has 42 arms. A third has 41 arms; 

 there is a single IVBr series developed on the outer side of a IIIBr series. All of 

 the division series are 4 (3 + 4). Of the 2 remaining specimens 1 is of enormous size. 

 All of these specimens are of a more or less brownish yellow, usually brown on the 

 dorsal surface of the division series and sometimes dark brown on the dorsal surface 

 of the arms for part of their length. 



