SEA LILIES, STARFISHES, ETC.—CLARK. bl 
second ; fourth (that on IIBr 4) about 25 mm. long, with 
22-23 segments ; fifth about as long; sixth a little shorter ; 
succeeding pinnules decrease in length very gradually, 
becoming about 10 mm. long, with 15 or 16 joints ; this size 
continues to the terminal part of the arm, where, about fifty 
segments from the tip, it drops quickly to 2 mm. and less, 
with only three segments or even fewer ; there are half a dozen 
or more intermediate pinnules with 12, 10, 8 and 6 joints, but 
the transition is quite abrupt as is usual in the genus. 
Colour (in alcohol or dried from alcohol) either uniformly 
light bluish-grey, or crown pale yellow or whitish, and stalk 
deep greenish-blue in marked contrast. The holotype (in 
alcohol) is uniformly whitish with a distinct orange tinge, but 
only a small part of the stalk is attached to the magnificent 
crown. The stalk of this specimen, preserved dry, is deep 
greenish-blue. Unfortunately there are no notes on the colour 
in life, of any of the specimens, but it is not likely that the 
bluish shade in the stalk is the result of preservation. It is 
possible that the yellowish crowns are the result of preserva- 
tion in alcohol. There are seven specimens. 
This superb crinoid is well distinguished from all the pre- 
viously described members of the genus by the large number 
of segments in all the various numerical series; thus the 
number of internodals (usually more than 9 and often 14) is 
the maximum for the genus, the number of cirrus-joints is 
nearly the maximum, the number of radials is often the 
maximum, and the segments of both the I1Br and the III Br 
series approach the maximum number. In certain particu- 
lars, WM. rotundus, Carpenter, seems to be the nearest relative 
of M. cyaneus, but it has decidedly fewer cirrus-joints, and 
the distal brachials are not at all flaring, the arms being quite 
smooth; moreover the radials and the members of the IBr 
series are stouter, smoother and of quite a different shape in 
M. rotundus. As the only stalked crinoid as yet known from 
the coasts of Australia!, Metacrinus cyaneus is of unusual 
interest and will certainly rank as one of the “ Endeavour’s”’ 
most noteworthy discoveries. The geographical isolation of 
M. cyaneus is remarkable, the Kermadec Islands, nearly 2500 
miles to the north-east being the nearest locality where 
Metacrinus has been taken. 
Locs.—Kastern Slope, Bass Strait, about 200 fathoms. 
This specimen has been selected as the holotype. 
South-east of Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria. 
1. Sahul Bank, south of Timor, is scarcely Australian. 
