12 THE ECHINODERMS OF TORRES STRAIT. 
stant obligation to him not only for his publications, but for the loan of books and 
specimens as well as for opinions and suggestions made both orally and in letters. 
It is therefore to be regretted that I find myself often in disagreement with him, 
particularly in regard to the status of a number of comatulids which I myself 
collected. In his report on the Siboga Comatulids (1918) Mr. Clark assigned my 
seven supposedly new species (See H. L. Clark, 1915) to the synonymy of half a 
dozen forms, previously more or less well known. This is done without word or 
comment, which Mr. Clark tells me is due to lack of opportunity, as his manuscript 
was completed when the reprint of my paper was received. Of course, in view of 
his opinions, I have carefully reviewed my descriptions, re-examined my material, 
and given new attention to publications bearing on the species in question. During 
the summer of 1919 Mr. Clark spent some weeks in Cambridge, studying the 
crinoids of the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy collection, and of course reviewed 
my Australian material. As a result he has modified some of his opinions, but we 
are still not in agreement on every case. His position with reference to each species 
concerned is discussed in the proper place in the following pages. 
Since Mr. Clark’s reports on the crinoids of Australia (1911), the crinoids of 
the Indian Ocean (1912), and the Siboga comatulids (1918) give an abundance 
of keys and of bibliographical references, I have limited myself to the least pos- 
sible synonymy. 
COMASTERID£E. 
Comatella maculata. 
Actinometra maculata P. H. Carpenter. 1888. Challenger Comat., p. 307, pl. lv, fig. 2. 
Comatella maculata A. H. Clark. 1908. Smithson. Misc. Coll. 52, p. 207. 
(Plate 3, Figure 1.) 
This widespread species, which ranges from the islands of the southwestern Indian 
Ocean to Rotuma and the Carolines, was originally taken by the Challenger in Prince of 
Wales Channel, Torres Strait, in 8 fathoms. It was not met with by either Coppinger or 
Semon, but we found it common at Mer on both the southeastern and southwestern 
reef-flats. It lives on the lower surface of large rock fragments and seems to avoid bright 
light, for when the rock is overturned the comatulids move quickly towards the lower side. 
When placed in a basin, some individuals are quite active and move around and around 
the basin at a rate of 2 or 3 inches per minute. If the basin is placed in the sun, the comatu- 
lid folds the arms over the disk and makes various other movements indicating physio- 
logical disturbance. At Mer, there was not much diversity of color in this species, the 
typical appearance being well shown in figure 1, plate 3. Very large specimens (150 mm. 
across) tend to become very dark, approaching black, but the tinge is always purplish, 
not brown. Although known from the northern part of the East Indian region, from 
New Caledonia, and as far as 20° S. on the Queensland coast, maculata is not known from 
the Arafura Sea or the islands between New Guinea and Timor. 
Comatella nigra. 
Actinometra nigra P. H. Carpenter. 1888. Challenger Comat., p. 304. 
Comatella nigra A. H. Clark. 1908. Smithson. Misc. Coll., 52, p. 207.—1912. Crinoids Indian Ocean, p. 68, 69, 
fig. 1—1918. Siboga Comat., p. 5, pl. i (colored). 
The discovery of nigra at Mer, where it is comparatively rare, extended considerably 
to the southward, the known range of this species, which is common in the northern East 
