222 Natural History Bulletin. 



although the specimens from Little Cat Island may be young 

 individuals. The disk is highly vaulted and covered with 

 large plates. The radial shields are very large and promi- 

 nent, and alternating with them are ten series of squarish 

 plates. Five large radial plates form a pentagonal figure 

 iiround the center of the dorsal surface. The mouth-papilla; 

 and teeth are quadrate. There is a single minute tentacle- 

 scale and two arm-spines which are lobate and ctenate on 

 their edges like the mouth-papilla; and teeth of Ophioiuyxa. 

 There are large accessory plates extending downward from 

 the upper arm-plates. The arms roll naturallv in a vertical 

 plane. Color in alcohol buffv; the arms banded with pinkish 

 brown. 



Coming to the true basket-fish, or Astrophytid.*: we find 

 the only representatives of the genus Astrociiida in our entire 

 collection. This genus is of special interest, as it shows one 

 of the intergrading steps between a simple-armed species, such 

 as Astrogoniphiis. and the branched basket-fish of the true 

 Ash'ophytoii type. The arms in this species, which may be A. 

 7s/d/s L3'man. are branched two or three times near their 

 ends. One specimen has six and the other seven arms, a very 

 unusual feature in this group. The mouth-parts are spini- 

 form; the disk closely beset with rounded nodules which form 

 raised concentric rings; arms swollen at base and ornamented 

 with raised transverse ridges of granules which bear micro- 

 scopic hooks as in Asirogvii/p/ins rallatiis. A small specimen 

 ■of an Astrophyton was found here, of a species represented by 

 several larger specimens taken from the Bahama Banks early 

 in the cruise. The species is allied to A. rostosuni Seba. but 

 is probably not identical. The color is brighter than in any 

 other of that genus that I have seen, being a dark pink, which 

 is relieved on the outer branches and twigfs of the arms with 

 bands of very light buffy, almost white, giving a beaded 

 appearance which is highlv ornamental. The disk has high 

 radial shields beset, especially on their outer parts, witli very 

 large stumpy spines in two series, these spines reaching to the 

 second forking on the arms. There is one madreporic body 

 situated as in A. co^fosiim. 



