REPORT ON THE ASTEROIDEA. 211 
although there is no great disparity in the length of any of them excepting the first, which 
is very small. T'wo or three irregular rows, with the spinelets in each shorter than those 
in the preceding row, stand behind the lateral series, and form a gradual transition into 
the spiniform squamulation of the plate. Consequent on this arrangement the lateral 
spines have a short, compact, and almost tufted appearance, whilst the series forms a thick 
and closely crowded fringe along the ray. The squamules of the infero-marginal plates 
are rather long, flat, and rounded, or obtusely pointed at the extremity, and although 
numerous they are not very closely placed. Three or four more prominent squamules, 
simulating spinelets, form a line along the aboral margin of the plate, and occasionally 
similar ones may be found here and there on other parts of the plate. 
Not more than six or eight actinal intermediate plates are present, and they carry very 
small, short, and equal-sized papilliform spinelets, which appear to form a kind of pedi- 
cellaria. 
The armature of the adambulacral plates consists of short spines, which are arranged in 
two series. ‘The mner series consists of three spines, which are short, cylindrical, slightly 
taper and obtuse, the middle one being more robust, compressed laterally, geniculate 
and prominent in the furrow. The outer series near the middle of the ray has three 
spines which are equal to, or rather longer than, the inner series, but more robust, slightly 
compressed, and obtusely rounded at the tips; these run obliquely across the plate, the 
adoral spinelet often being in the position of a third series. On the inner portion of 
the ray one or two supplementary spinelets may be present, external to the oblique line of 
three spines above mentioned. 
The mouth-plates are elongate, and form a long, prominent, narrow keel along the line 
of suture. Upon the keel there is a single line of spinelets on each plate, which are rather 
long, robust, compressed, and subpapilliform ; these are seven to nine in number, and they 
diminish in size aborally. On the outer free margin of the plate there are about eight 
spinelets—the innermost three, which with the corresponding spinelets of the companion 
mouth-plate form the comb of spines projecting horizontally over the mouth, are longer 
than the rest, and are slightly curved inward at their extremities in the direction of the 
horizontal plane of the mouth-area, The remaining spinelets are much smaller and 
equal-sized, and the series does not reach beyond a line drawn at right angles through the 
middle of the median suture-line. 
The armature of the first adambulacral plate beyond the mouth-plates consists of fifteen 
or more pairs of small, equal, papilliform spinelets, ranged in two parallel lines, and apposed 
to one another, which form a remarkably elegant organ, probably of pedicellarian functions. 
On the outer portion of the second adambulacral plate there is a partial repetition of this 
arrangement. 
The madreporiform body is small, but tubercular, and is situated nearer the margin 
than midway to the centre. 
