Verrill, JVotcs on liadiata. 277 



the center than upon the plates near the margin, but have the same 

 character. These tliorny sjjines in the central region are still very 

 small and slender, two or three times longer than thick, and form 

 densely crowded, large, crescent-shaped, or small rounded groups, 

 according to the shape of the plates. The crescent-shaped plates ex- 

 tend along the middle of the rays to near the tip, and are accompa- 

 nied everywhere by the dorsal pores, which are large and numerous. 

 There is a small central area, occupied by small rounded plates, 

 with pores between them, at the edge of which is placed the small 

 madreporic plate, composed of but few convolutions. A narrow 

 band, extending from tlie central area toward the margin, in the 

 middle of each iuterradial region, is destitute of pores. 



Color, in alcohol, yellowish-red. 



The original description by Dr. Gray is so brief and imperfect as to 

 render the identification of this species somewhat uncertain. It is as 

 follows : " Brown, depressed, 5 or 6 rayed ; rays depressed, rounded 

 at the end ; dorsal surface with lunate ossicules crowded with short 

 spines ; oral surface with circular groups of crowded spines in the 

 middle of each ossicule. Panama, 6 to 10 fathoms." 



This description, so far as it goes, agrees tolerably well with our 

 specimen, except that the groups of spines on the oral surface cannot 

 properly be called " circular." In this case, as in many others. Dr. 

 Gray does not mention the size of the specimens described, so that no 

 account can be taken of variations due to difference of age, which are 

 often very great among starfishes. 



Asterina (Astericus) modesta Verriu, sp. nov. 



Form pentagonal with slightly concave edges and broad, very short, 

 rounded rays. Radii as 7 : 5. The interambulacral plates bear three 

 or four small, slender spines, forming a single row along the anibula- 

 cral grooves. The ventral plates each bear one or two sharp spines, 

 a little larger than the preceding, in the region near the mouth, and 

 more numerous and much smaller ones near the margin. Martrin thin 

 and sharp, with a fringe of minute sharp spines, 6 or 8 to each plate. 

 The dorsal surface is covered with imbricated plates which are finely 

 granulated, and each bears upon its upper margin from 5 to 15 minute 

 sharp spines. The plates rapidly increase in size from the edge of 

 the disk to the central region. Dorsal pores in five imperfect rows 

 along each ray and many scattered about the central region of the 

 disk. One of the larger specimens measures -35 of an inch from 

 center to end of ray ; '25 to edge of disk. 



Panama and Pearl Islands, — F. H. Bradley. 



