Narratin'I'; of Bahama Expedition. 8i 



genus seems to exhibit nearl\- all of the characters of an 

 astrophyton except the branchino- arms, and is probabh' nearer 

 that g"enus than aiu' other specimen secured by us. Neither 

 of our two species can be referred to Astrogoiufhiis vallahis. 

 Thev may be briefly diagnosed as follows: 



(a) Radial ridges broader than in A. vallalus: spiniform 

 mouth-papilla' much smaller. The ventral surface is not 

 smooth, but bears a number of regularly but sparsely distrib- 

 uted granular nodules. There is no '-fence of pickets " sepa- 

 rating the mouth region from the interbrachial spaces. Color 

 in alcohol almost white. 



(b) Radial ridges not continuing to near center of disk, 

 and apparently five instead of ten in number, owing to the 

 fact that each pair of radial plates is soldered together by their 

 apposed faces, forming one broad elevated ridge instead of 

 two, as in other species. The ridges on disk and arm bases 

 resemble those of Astrocnida isidis. Spines on radial ridges 

 smaller than in Astrogonifluis vallatiis, and the mouth parts 

 much as in the latter species. The ventral surface is crowded 

 with spiny granules, but there is no '• fence of pickets." 



It is seldom that such an array of species of simple armed 

 AsTROPiivTiD.'E is fouud in any one locality. Most of these 

 forms appear to be new, and are certainly w^ell worthy of care- 

 ful study. 



Among the great number of typical serpent-stars our space 

 will admit of but the briefest mention of a few. OpJiiothxrciis 

 i^ocsi is a short-armed species having the disk covered with 

 swollen plates. The llrst upper arm-plate is split in two and 

 interposed between the radial shields. Each half of the split 

 arm-plate bears on its outer side a row of minute scales re- 

 sembling genital scales. Ophiopccpalc g-ocsicnia is a daintily 

 marked slender-armed species, with di\ided under ai^m-plates 

 and prominent radial shields. Disk brown, conspicuously 

 spotted with white. 



A very conspicuous species is an Opiiiocantlia ( ."). with a 

 disk colored light brown, with five broad radiating bands of 

 pure white and long glassy spines. There are few more 



