8 
I. Palaeocomatella difficilis (P. H. Carpenter). 
P. H. Carpenter. "Challenger" Reports. Comatulae, 1888, p. 93, pi. 52, fig. 2 [Actinometra 
difficilis); p. 304 (specimen from Stat. 192), pi. 52, fig. 2 {Actinometra pulcliella). 
Stat. 105. 6°8'N., 121° 19' E. 275 Metres, i Ex. 
The centrodorsal is thin discoidal, circular, the large polar area flat, 3.0 mm. in dia- 
meter, with a slightly elevated rim ; the cirrus sockets are closely crowded, and are arranged 
in twenty-five columns of two (more rarely one) each. 
The cirri are about XXX, 10 — 11, 6 mm. long, the distal portion strongly curved; 
the first segment is very short, the second nearly or quite twice as long as the median dia- 
meter and strongly constricted centrally, the third from three to four times as long as the 
median diameter, a transition segment, slightly constricted centrally with a swollen distal end ; 
the fourth .segment is from half again to twice as long as its pro.ximal diameter, expanding 
evenly from the proximal to the distal end ; the next two segments are about as long as the 
proximal diameter, and the remainder are slightly shorter than the proximal diameter; the 
fourth has a slight subterminal median dorsal tubercle ; this on the next three segments gra- 
dually increases in size and moves to a central position ; the opposing spine, though slightly 
larger than the tubercle on the preceding segment, is very small ; it is subterminal and sharp ; 
the terminal claw is twice as long as the penultimate segment, long, moderately slender, and 
moderately and evenly curved. The distal portion of the cirri is moderately compressed. 
The ends of the basal rays are visible as minute tubercles in the angles of the calyx. 
The radials .are entirely concealed. The IBr^ are concealed in the median line, but are parti- 
ally visible in the angles of the calyx ; their lateral edges diverge from those of the adjacent 
IBrj at approximately a right angle; the axillaries are broadly pentagonal, twice as broad as 
long ; the lateral edges are slighdy concave, and the anterior angle is sharp ; they are widely 
separated from their neighbours ; the II Br series are 2 ; the IIBr^ are very short, slightly 
wedge-shaped, about four times as broad as the greater (outer) length, almost entirely united 
interiorly; the IIBr„ (axillaries) are broadly pentagonal, twice as broad as long, the lateral 
edges from one half to two thirds the length of those of the IIBrj. The union of the elements 
of the I Br series and of the IIBr series is extremely close, and with difficulty distinguishable 
from a pseudosyzygy. 
The 20 arms were probably about 50 mm. long; after the seventh the brachials become 
triangular, about as long as broad, with the distal edges concave. 
The first syzygy is normally between brachials 3 + 4 on the external arms, and i ^ 2 
on the internal, but in many cases the first four brachials are grouped in two pairs, the first 
pseudosyzygial, the second syzygial ; the brachials following the basal syzygial pairs as far as 
the seventh are wedge-shaped, with the anterior edges concave and slightly produced and 
spinous, twice as broad as the median length. 
Pi is 9 mm. long, very slender, composed of 35 short segments; the comb has 18 
teeth of which the distal 10 or 11 are abruptly larger than those preceding, long, lance-shaped, 
longer than the lateral diameter of the segments which bear them. P, is 5.5 mm. long, much 
