Bknham.— .S7<V/f /•?■(■/ •^■ and Hchinids from tin' Kmnadecs. 159 



ECTTINOIDRA. 



Phyllacanthus dubia Brandt.'^ 



Three dried specimens were forwarded to me, wliicli Imve the following 

 •dimensions: — 



The spines are nearly uniform in diameter, broadest a little above the 

 base, whence there is a gradual, though slight, decrease towards the tip, 

 and a less decrease towards the neck. Those near the ambitus are more 

 nearly cylindrical. The two upper spines of any vertical row on each inter- 

 ambulacrum are nearly of the same length ; the 4tli spine is about half 

 this ; the others diminish as they approach the peristome. The spines 

 are always worn or corroded. 



Locate//.— Meyer Island (24/4/1908, 18/5/1908): also Sunday Island 

 {Farquhar, 1906 ; coll., Haylock). Oliver writes that they " are very rare. 

 The specimens collected are all small, and were found in a rock-crevice 

 near low-water mark. Two or three others were seen in deep water (2 or 3 

 fathoms)." 



Distribution. — New South Wales. Tasmania, Bass Strait, Lord Howe 

 Island, New Caledonia. 



Centrostephanus rodgersii A. Agassiz. 



Mr. Oliver states that this species is " fairly plentiful among rocks at 

 low water." 



The diameter of the corona in these specimens is 80 mm. : height, 

 35 mm. ; longest spine, 55 mm. 



The corona when dried is purplish-brown. The colour of the spines 

 when alive is dark purple. 



Mr. Farquhar (1906) includes this in our New Zealand fauna, as there 

 is a specimen in the Dominion Museum which is said to have been collected 

 at Wellington ; but it is by no means certain that the locality is correct, 

 or that it was found on our coast. 



Locality. — Coral Bay, Sunday (Raoul) Island (July. 1908) ; also Meyer 

 Island. 



Distribution. — East and south coasts of Australia. New Caledonia, Lord 

 Howe Island. 



* After the MS. had gone to pivss I had the opportunity while at the Au.stralian 

 Museum, by the kindness of Mr. Cloleman, of seeing Doderleins Ber. ub. d. von Herrn 

 Prof. Semon bei Araboina und Thursday I.sl. gesammelten Echinoidea, 1902, wherein 

 the author takes the view that the three species, P. impcriatis Lamk., P. dubia Brandt, 

 -P. parmspina T.-Wood. are not distinguishable from one another, and refers the species 

 to the genus Leiocidaris Desor., which he regard.s as including Cidaris, Phyllacanthus, 

 Rh'tbdocidaris. I have, however, taken a conservative view, as I note that Lyman 

 C!iark and other recent writers retain Phyllacanthus ; while a recent discussion as to the 

 proper names of Cidarids warns me, an outsider, to beware of rushing in whore Baxter, 

 Clark, JVIorten.s.>n, and others have trodden. 



