312 Miscellaneous. 



of the rays. These several circumstances caused them to be regarded 

 as distinct from the two well-known species above named : a careful 

 examination under more favourable circumstances confirmed this 

 opinion. 



The surface of the disk is beautifully rosulated, a large plate being 

 in the centre, around which, at a little distance, are arranged five 

 other plates ; beyond these, other five plates, and so on, the inter- 

 spaces being filled in with circlets of little scales, producing an ap- 

 pearance not unlike that seen in Ophiocoma bellis. 



At the base of the fays, close to the disk (upon the upper surface), 

 is a crescent of short spines, the concave side of the crescent being 

 outwards. 



These are features entirely different from what we find in either 

 Ophiura texturata or O. albida ; in both instances the upper sur- 

 faces of the disks present no trace of the beautiful and distinct rosu- 

 lated character here seen, neither do we find the crescentic arrange- 

 ment of spines upon the basal portion of the rays. 



The characters of the species under consideration may be thus 

 defined : — 



Disk either pentangular or round, the former pertaining to well- 

 grown individuals, the latter to young ; upper surface of disk 

 rosulated ; under surface corresponding with the other members 

 of the genus. Two clasping scales at the origin of each ray, each 

 bearing above ten short spines. A crescent of eight or ten short 

 blunt spines on upper surface of rays, close to the disk. Lateral 

 ray-plates bearing five moderately long spines. Upper ray-scales 

 nearly square, slightly tapering towards the disk. Rays about 

 four times as long as the diameter of disk, which, in well-grown 

 individuals, measures about a quarter of an inch. Colour reddish- 

 yellow, occasionally of a pale sandy tint. 



These features being so constant and distinct, there can be no 

 doubt of the species under consideration being new to our fauna ; 

 and as such, it affords me much pleasure to name it after my friend 

 the Rev. A. M. Norman, who is, in fact, the original discoverer, 

 having taken a single specimen some years ago in the Frith of 

 Clyde; and at Shetland, during 1861, he also took three or four 

 specimens. In both instances, however, they only received a glance, 

 and were assumed to be the young of O. texturata, for which 

 they may easily be mistaken unless subjected to microscopical exa- 

 mination. 



This species would appear to be generally distributed, having been 

 found at three widely different parts of our coasts. It is common 

 here, between sixty and seventy specimens having been dredged in 

 a few hours ; owing, however, to their excessive fragility, few were 

 obtained perfect. — Trans. Tynes. Nat. Field Club, 1863, vol. v. 

 p. 296. 



