﻿138 
  COLLECTIONS 
  PEOM 
  MELANESIA. 
  

  

  stout, 
  tlie 
  penultimate 
  one 
  about 
  twice 
  as 
  wide 
  as 
  those 
  on 
  either 
  

   side 
  of 
  it. 
  

  

  The 
  arms, 
  which 
  are 
  not 
  more 
  than 
  four 
  times 
  the 
  diameter 
  of 
  

   the 
  disk, 
  are 
  very 
  delicate 
  at 
  their 
  tip, 
  strongly 
  carinated 
  superiorly 
  

   on 
  the 
  proximal 
  portion 
  ; 
  the 
  upper 
  arm-plates 
  have 
  pretty 
  straight 
  

   oral 
  and 
  aboral 
  edges, 
  about 
  twice 
  and 
  a 
  half 
  as 
  wide 
  as 
  they 
  

   are 
  long 
  ; 
  the 
  lower 
  arm-plates 
  are 
  encroached 
  upon 
  by 
  the 
  side 
  

   plates, 
  which 
  extend 
  far 
  towards 
  the 
  middle 
  line 
  ; 
  near 
  the 
  disk 
  

   they 
  are 
  wider 
  than 
  long 
  and 
  hexagonal 
  in 
  form 
  ; 
  further 
  out 
  the 
  

   two 
  lateral 
  angles 
  widen 
  out, 
  the 
  sides 
  gradually 
  become 
  straighter, 
  

   and 
  a 
  quadrangular 
  replaces 
  the 
  hexagonal 
  form 
  ; 
  towards 
  the 
  distal 
  

   end 
  of 
  the 
  arm 
  the 
  ventral 
  plates 
  are 
  longer 
  than 
  broad. 
  Arra- 
  

   spines, 
  near 
  the 
  disk, 
  eight, 
  the 
  median 
  longer 
  than 
  those 
  above 
  or 
  

   below 
  them 
  ; 
  quite 
  close 
  to 
  the 
  disk 
  they 
  may 
  be 
  long 
  enough 
  to 
  

   extend 
  to 
  the 
  edge 
  of 
  the 
  next 
  plate 
  ; 
  rajjidly, 
  however, 
  they 
  become 
  

   shorter, 
  though 
  they 
  do 
  not 
  diminish 
  either 
  rapidly 
  or 
  notably 
  in 
  

   number. 
  Tentacle-scales 
  two 
  on 
  the 
  most 
  proximal 
  joints, 
  one 
  

   beyond. 
  A 
  pore 
  between 
  the 
  first 
  and 
  second 
  arm-plates. 
  

  

  Colour, 
  in 
  alcohol, 
  brownish, 
  with 
  some 
  blackish 
  spots 
  on 
  the 
  

   disk 
  ; 
  these 
  are 
  also 
  found 
  on 
  the 
  arms 
  ; 
  three 
  or 
  fonr 
  successive 
  

   plates 
  often 
  much 
  darker 
  than 
  those 
  in 
  front 
  of 
  or 
  behind 
  them. 
  

  

  Port 
  Molle 
  (1-1: 
  fms., 
  rock) 
  ; 
  Port 
  Curtis 
  ; 
  Port 
  Denison 
  ; 
  Thursday 
  

   Island. 
  

  

  Specimens 
  of 
  this 
  species, 
  bearing 
  as 
  locality 
  " 
  Indian 
  Ocean," 
  

   have 
  long 
  been 
  in 
  the 
  Museum. 
  

  

  Specimens 
  of 
  what 
  may 
  be 
  the 
  young 
  of 
  this 
  species 
  were 
  taken 
  

   in 
  the 
  Prince 
  of 
  AY 
  ales 
  Channel. 
  

  

  6. 
  Ophiolepis 
  annulosa. 
  

  

  Lyman, 
  p. 
  4. 
  

   Clairmont 
  Island 
  ; 
  Port 
  Darwin. 
  

  

  7. 
  OpMoplocus 
  imbricatus. 
  

   Lyman, 
  p. 
  4. 
  

  

  Port 
  Darwin. 
  

  

  8. 
  Ophiactis 
  savignii. 
  

  

  Lyman, 
  p. 
  14. 
  

   Port 
  Jackson, 
  0-5 
  fms. 
  

  

  9. 
  Ophionereis 
  dubia. 
  

  

  Lyman, 
  p. 
  26. 
  

   Thursday 
  Island; 
  Albany 
  Island; 
  Prince 
  of 
  Wales 
  Channel: 
  

   Torres 
  Straits. 
  

  

  