eS 
REPORT ON THE ASTEROIDEA. 445 
rays. Paxillz small, numerous, closely crowded, with ten to twenty-one spinelets, which 
are more or less divergent from the pedicle. Fifteen to seventeen paxille may be counted 
in the median interradial line, and about ten across the base of the ray. Papule few, not 
more than one to three in a group. 
Adambulacral armature consisting of: (1.) a furrow series of six spines on each plate 
near the mouth, and five on the more outward plates, the aboral spine smallest; (2.) a 
transverse series on the actinal surface of the plate composed of eight spines. The two 
spines nearest the furrow are placed more aborally than the rest, which gives the line of 
base of each transverse series an aboral curve at the furrow side. The middle spines 
are longest, the outermost smallest; all tapering to a fine point, robust at the base; no 
webbing apparent. Mouth-plates with robust mouth-spines, and a prominent series of 
nine or ten secondary or superficial spinelets, larger than the marginal mouth-spines. 
Interradial areas covered with small paxille, and rather crowded. 
Remarks.—This variety, which was dredged in the Faerdée Channel, seemed to me 
worthy of being recognised by name on account of its constancy over a considerable area 
of distribution. The form is ten rayed, and accords in this and other particulars with a 
number of examples collected during the “ Porcupine” cruise. The chief characters are 
persistent throughout the whole series of specimens I have examined, but several are 
present in an extreme degree in the Faerée-Channel specimen. 
On comparing with the above form a typical Crossaster papposus of the same diameter, 
it will be found that in the latter the rays, which are eleven to thirteen in number, are 
less tapering and relatively longer, the proportion being R>2°5 7. The abactinal area of 
the disk is very little higher than the rays. The paxille are larger, fewer, more widely 
spaced, and bear a greater number of spinelets, usually about forty, which are arranged 
much more compactly and give the paxille a more rounded appearance,—often resembling 
that of a well-worn brush, the central spinelets being longest. The papule are more 
numerous, five to ten or more. The spinelets of the adambulacral armature are three in 
number in the inner or furrow series,—a fourth very minute one, placed aborally, being 
present near the mouth. The transverse combs consist of five spinelets, those near the 
furrow series the longest ; line of base straight ; webbing at the base more or less present. 
All the spinelets are more delicate in character than in the variety. Mouth-plates with 
delicate spines; secondary mouth-spines not more than two or three. Interradial areas 
quite naked, or with only one or two small paxille. 
This variety conforms in several respects with the admirable description given by 
Danielssen and Koren’ of the form they refer to the Solaster affinis of Brandt. The 
differences are, however, so marked that I cannot regard them as one and the same form ; 
and in none of the specimens which I have examined from either the ‘‘ Porcupine ” or the 
1 Nyt Mag. f. Naturvidensk., 1877, Bd. xxiii., 3, p. 57; Den Norske Nordhavs-Expedition, 1876-1878, 
Zoologi, xi. Asteroidea, 1884, p. 44, tab. vill. fig. 11, tab. ix. figs. 7, 8, 14. 
