682 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. yol. xxxii. 



by O.IT mm., although differing- widely as to dimensions according to 

 the size of the pedicel. 



From Mesothuria rmdtipes Ludwig, 3f. lactea (Theel), M. fJiom- 

 sovi (Theel), 3f. murrayi (Theel), M. parva (Theel), 31. inarginata 

 Sluiter, 3f. oktahiemtis Sluiter, and 31. holothur{oidesi:^\mter the present 

 species differs especially in the form of the tables. These differences 

 can be best appreciated by a comparison of figures. 31. marginata 

 and 3L holothurioides have but three rods to the spire and the former 

 has the spire ending in a long thorny point. 31. ohtaknemus has much 

 less robust tables than carnosd with slenderer spire ending in longer 

 points. The disks also are different. Other minor differences may 

 be found in the distribution of pedicels and in the form of their ter- 

 minal plates, although the latter feature may not be of an}^ impor- 

 tance. In life carnosa is very soft and flesh}^, almost jelly-like except 

 for the firm perisome. This character is admirably retained in for- 

 malin specimens, "but in alcohol, after the water is extracted from the 

 tissue, the latter becomes thin and leathery. If it were not for this 

 fact one might make comparisons in the character of the body wall of 

 the different species. If one had only alcohol specimens of carnosa he 

 would draw absolutel}^ incorrect conclusions as to the appearance of 

 the live animal. 



From 31. ahlyreriata., 31. incerta., and 3f. squamosa Koehler and 

 Yane}^ carnosa' differs in the deposits and also in outward form. '^ 



So far as the deposits are concerned, carnosa. appears to be rather 

 more closely related to J/! intestlnaUs (Ascan.) as described and figured 

 by Ostergren^', than to any other known member of the genus. As a 

 comparison of figures will show, the deposits are ver}^ much alike, 

 although the three and five rod spires appear not to be present in any 

 specimens of carnosa that I have examined. The bod}^ wall of car- 

 nosa is thick and fleshy in life; that of intestinalis is described as thin; 

 whether it is so in life I am unable to learn. 3f. intestinalis anji 3f. 

 verrilll are hermaphrodite, whereas in 31. cai'nosa the sexes are separate. 



There are two small specimens from Station 3839 (South coast 

 Molokai Island, 259 to 26(3 fathoms, light brown mud, sand) much 

 dilapidated, which have peculiar deposits (Plate VI, figs. •!, 4^/). These 

 specimens, much contracted and compressed, are about 30 mm. long, 

 and so far as can be determined resemble 3L parva. The disk of the 

 tables is subcircular and pierced by a central and eight peripheral holes 

 of nearl}^ the same size. The spire is composed of four rods and one 

 crossbeam, the crown ending in four slightly diverging spinous tips. 

 Disks are usually not wider than 0. 1 mm. , and are commonl v much more 



« See Koehler and Vaney, Deep-Sea Holothurioidea of the Investigator, 1905, pp. 

 10-14; pi. I, fis- G; pi. iv, tig. 10; pi. ix, tigs. 4-11; pi. xii, iigs. 19, 20. 

 ^Featskrifl fr>r Lilljc))org, 1896, p. 347, pi. xviii, tigs. 1-26. 



