88 first Annual Report 
SOME ECHINODERMS COLLECTED 
AT LAGUNA 
C. F. BAKER 
Starfish, serpent stars, sea-urchins, and sea cucumbers are very 
much in evidence between tides at Laguna, some species occurring 
in enormous numbers. As yet, no special effort has been made to 
collect the species thoroughly. Of most of those taken a set was de- 
termined by Prof. Walter K. Fisher of Stanford University, and he 
very kindly furnished the notes incorporated below under quotation 
marks. 
HOLOTHUROIDEA 
Synapta inhoerens ©. F. Mull 
These beautiful pale-colored little holothurians are frequent in 
the sand under stones in tide-pools. Some of their movements are 
extraordinarily worm-like. The peculiar character of the dermal 
anchors and plates in this species are very distinctive. 
Stichopus californicus (Stimpson) 
The large brown sea cucumber is a common object in the tide- 
pools. Some grow to eight and ten inches in length and even more. 
We examined large numbers of them for commensals but did not 
happen to encounter any. 
ASTEROIDEA 
Linckia columbiae Gray 
The smooth red starfish is common in the tide-pools. Its capacity 
for arm motion is very limited compared to other starfishes here, and 
through frequent mutilations it is rarely normally armed. Prof. 
Fisher says of it: ‘‘This curious little starfish is a member of the 
Panamie fauna, the type having been taken on the west coast of 
Colombia. It has been recorded previously from California at La 
Jolla, San Clemente Island, Santa Catalina Island and San Pedro. 
Miss 8. P. Monks carried on some interesting studies on the varia- 
bility and autonomy of this species. It is able to sever its arms, and 
not only to regenerate new arms, but also to regenerate new disks on 
the severed rays. The number of rays varies from one to nine, but 
there are usually five. There may also be more than one madreporic 
body, and as many as four anal apertures. Very rarely there are 
two mouths.’’ 
