PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 271 



most of which bear a small group of spiniiles and pedicellaria?, but this 

 row becomes indistinct at about the middle of the arm, yet continues 

 to the end. The sides of the arms at the base are occupied by about 

 three rows of large, close plates, mostly without spinules. These 

 longitudinal rows of plates are united by short, stout, transverse proc- 

 esses, so that they leave small rounded interspaces, each of which 

 bears a group of 3 to 6 or more papulse on the dorsal surface; on the 

 lower lateral and ventral surfaces the interspaces become much smaller, 

 and the papuhe often stand singly. All the plates are very firmly united 

 together, both transversely and longitudinally, so that their outlines 

 can not be distinguished in the dry specimen without maceration. 



The ambulacral sucker-tubes form 4 close rows, and are furnished 

 with small terminal suckers. 



Two specimens (Nos. 11131 and 11425, U. S. N. M.) were taken in 1885 

 at stations 2530 and 2531, off George's Bank, in 956 and 852 fathoms; 

 and another in 1886 (Xo. 14859, U. S. N. M.) at station 2681, off Martha^s 

 Vineyard, in 990 fathoms. 



The generic position of this singular species is somewhat doubtful. 

 It ai)pears to be more nearly allied to Xeomorphaster eusticlius, Sladeu, 

 from off the Azores, in 900 to 1,000 fathoms, than to any other described 

 form. It differs, however, in having more numerous pedicellarife scat- 

 tered over the surface, in the greater number of ])apulte, in the trans- 

 verse arrangement of the dorsal spinules, and in having longer and 

 more slender furrow-spines. 



Family Solasterid^, Perrier. 

 SOLASTER SYRTENSIS, uew species. 



Rays usually 9, well rounded above, higli at base, regularly tapered, 

 moderately long, the length about equal to the diameter of the disk. 

 Interradial angles subacute, occupied by close psuedopaxilhe. Disk 

 flattened or convex, according to the mode of preservation. Eadii 

 about as 1 to 3. In one of the type specimens, the diameter is 165 mm. ; 

 lesser radius, 28 mm.; greater radius, 80 to 85 mm.; breadth of rays 

 at base, 18 mm.; height of rays at base, 16 mm.; diameter of dorsal 

 pseudoi^axillie, about 0.75 mm; diameter of madreporic plate, 3 mm. 



The whole dorsal surface and the sides of the rays are closely and 

 evenly covered with rounded, flat-topped pseudopaxilhe, larger and 

 more even than those of S. endeca. Those covering the central area of 

 the disk and middle of the basal part of the rays are largest, the size 

 regularly decreasing toward the ends and outer sides of the rays. 

 The spinules on the largest pseudopaxilhe are often 30 to 40 in num- 

 ber, of which 20 to 25 or more surround the margin, while 6 to 12 or 

 more form a central group. They are all similar — small, slender, of 

 moderate length, and rough at the blunt tips, and seem to be united 

 at their bases by a membranous web. 



