248 Verrill, JVotes on Itadiata. 



these, and the plates are small, longest lengthwise of the ray, and each 

 bears a short, thick spine, but little larger than the preceding, and 

 forming a regular, rather open row. Exterior to these is another 

 ventral row of large, strong, imbricated, prominent plates, each bear-. 

 ing at its summit two very thick, short, obtuse spines, much larger 

 than the interambulacral ones, and arranged in a single row, and on 

 their external side each plate usually supports two or more short, 

 rounded, much smaller spines, the largest of which usually form a reg- 

 ular row. The plates of the first lateral row are much elongated trans- 

 versely to the ray, imbricated and strong, and so united to the ven- 

 tral as to leave large openings between ; each bears about twelve 

 small, shoi't, rounded, clavate s|)ines, which are placed along the plates 

 in single or double rows transverse to the ray. The plates of the 

 median dorsal row have a similar form, and bear a similar transverse 

 row of spines, which are somewhat larger. Between these and the first 

 row of lateral plates the plates are irregular in form and arrangement, 

 but short and imbricated, with unequal openings between, forming, 

 about five indistinct rows, all covered with groups of short sub-glob- 

 ular spines, giving an even appearance to the surface, but with large 

 vacant spaces between. Madreporic plate, small, of fine texture, situ- 

 ated a little nearer to the center of the disk than its edge. Minor ped- 

 icellarias few, at the bases of the spines and on the spaces between, 

 longer than broad, obtuse, somewhat compressed, constricted near 

 the base. A few major pedicellariaj, scattered on the dorsal surface 

 and on the interradial surface beneath, are much larger and stouter, 

 with enlarged bases and obtuse tips. 



Greatest diameter 11 inches; disk 4; width of rays at base 1'25. 



Aukland, New Zealand, — H. Edwards. 



Coscinasterias, gen. nov. 



Starfishes with many rays, which are elongated, slender, and united 

 only at the base, without interradial plates beneath. Disk small. Am- 

 bulacra broad, highly developed, suckers very numerous, in four 

 rows. Spines prominent, arranged in longitudinal rows on the rays. 

 Dorsal surface with large, scattered pedicellaria\ Madreporic plate 

 large, irregular, often "with several accessory ones placed irregularly 

 on various parts of the disk. Dorsal plates (ossicles) arranged much 

 as in Asterias. 



The excessive development of the rays and ambulacral system, 

 compared with .the disk or central cavity, is the most characteristic 

 feature of this genus. 



The Asterias aster Gray, probably belongs to this genus, but is too 

 imperfectly described for identification. 



