REPORT ON THE ASTEROIDEA. 621 
position as the spinelets arming the adambulacral plates, indeed from the fact that this 
spine (or pair of spines) separates the first and second pair of ambulacral tube-feet, it is 
doubtful whether they can properly be ranked with the mouth-plate armature or not. It 
is here easy to see that the secondary or superficial mouth-spine is the representative of the 
large outer perpendicular spine of the adambulacral armature throughout the ray ; like 
them also it is encased in a membranous sheath crowded with pedicellariz. The short 
marginal mouth-spines are cylindrical and tapering, covered with a close-fitting membrane, 
with a few isolated pedicellarize on their shaft, usually situated more or less midway 
between the extremities. 
The ambulacral tube-feet are stout and short, with a well-developed sucker-disk 
strongly invaginated centrally. 
The madreporiform body is small and more or less hidden by the dermal spinelets of 
the disk; its presence, however, is indicated by the irregularity of spinelets about it, and 
its position is very little removed from the margin of the abactinal surface. 
Colour in alcohol, a bleached yellowish white, the lateral spinelets being a purer 
white. 
Locality.—Station 237. Off the coast of Japan, south of Kawatsu. June 17, 1875. 
Lat. 34° 37’ 0” N., long. 140° 32’ 0” E. Depth 1875 fathoms. Blue mud. Bottom 
temperature 35°°3 Fahr. ; surface temperature 73°°0 Fahr. 
Remarks.—Freyella pennata may be distinguished from the other members of the 
genus by the character of the armature of the mouth-plates and of the adambulacral 
plates, and by the presence of ten comparatively broad robust rays. The presence of the 
additional small spinelet on the furrow margin of the adambulacral plates appears to be 
dependent on age. In some large fragments of this species even three are present at the 
base of the ray, and form a small oblique series; this number, however, appears to be of 
rare occurrence. 
2. Freyella polycnema, n. sp. (Pl. CIX. figs. 12-17). 
Rays seventeen, R=?mm.; r=5'75 mm. Breadth of a ray at the base, 1°8 mm. 
Rays very delicate, subtriangular in section, with a median carination. Unfortunately 
only a few small fragments were collected, and all are detached from the disk and much 
mutilated ; it is, therefore, impossible to state the length or to describe the general habit 
of the rays. 
The disk is very small and depressed, with the abactinal surface slightly concave in 
its present state, and the margin abruptly bevelled to the base of the rays. The abactinal 
surface of the disk is covered with delicate membrane, which appears to be beset with 
minute plates bearing minute, conical, sharply pointed thornlets, distinctly spaced and 
quite microscopic in size. The membrane which covers the abactinal surface of the rays 
