I36 FISHER 



series of very small widely spaced actinal intermediate plates 

 extends over three fourth length of ray. They bear usually 1 

 or 2 stumpy spinelets, or are spineless. 



Adambulacral plates with (1) a palmate furrow series of 5 or 

 6 (distally 3 or 4) slender tapering skin-covered spinelets (united 

 for about half their length by a web) of which the 2 or 3 mesial 

 are subequal, the laterals much shorter. These spinelets are 

 of about same length as in preceding species. (2) On actinal 

 surface a transverse series oi 4 (3 on smaller examples, vary- 

 ing to 2 and 5) much longer, slender, terete, blunt, skin-covered 

 spines, the second or third usually longest (exceeding in length 

 the width of plate), the outer about one half length of inner 

 (where there are 3 spines) ; when 2 spines only are present they 

 are subequal and long. 



Mouth plates just a trifle narrower than in preceding species. 

 Free margin with a webbed series of about 11 spinelets increas- 

 ing in length toward inner end of each plate to 2 or 3 enlarged 

 spines, the innermost stoutest. On actinal surface of plate near 

 inner end of each is a stout, though slender, spine. Sometimes 

 instead of this a small one stands on outer end of plates, or 

 there may be 2 or 3 small spines. 



Madreporic body variable in size, similar to that of preceding 

 species, and, like it, situated at inner end of an interradial 

 fasciole. Two or 3 large paxillae stand near it. 



Type, No. 21933, U. S. Nat. Mus. Type locality, Albatross 

 Station 2858, east of Kadiak Island in 230 fathoms, on blue 

 mud and gravel ; also found in Bering Sea, in 987 fathoms, on 

 green mud. 



Family PYCNOPODIID^E x Stimpson (restr.). 



Rathbunaster Fisher, new genus. 

 Rathbunaster Fisher, new genus of Pycnopodiidas. (Type, R. 



californicus Fisher, new species.) 



Near Pycnofiodia Stimpson, but differing in having a smaller 

 disk, with the rays constricted at base and easily detachable ; 



1 Used by Stimpson (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vm,iS62, 261), as synony- 

 mous with Asteriida.' of modern authors. As here employed it includes Pycho- 

 fiodia, Rathbunaster and possibly also Anastcrias, although I have not examined 

 that genus. 



