428 Messrs. J. Wood- Mason and A. Alcock on 



observation goes, seem to live, like many Holothurians, on 

 the organic matter to be found in ocean mud. 



Several ilustrations of the wideness of ocean-range of deep- 

 sea species are furnished by our collection of Asteroidea. 



We must here express our indebtedness to Mr. Percy 

 Sladen's very valuable Keport on the ' Challenger ' Aste- 

 roidea, without which indeed we should hardly have ventured 

 upon the examination of our collection. 



Order P H A N E ROZ O N I A. 



Family ArchasteridsB. 



Paearchaster, Sladen. 



1. Parar chaster semisquamatus^ Sladen. 



Pamrchmter semisquamatus, Sladen, 'Challenger' Asteroidea, p. 7, 

 pi. ii. figs. 1 and 2, pi. iv. figs. 7 and 8. 



One specimen from Station 111, 1664 fathoms. 

 Colour in the fresh state uniform salmon-red. 



PONTASTER, Sladen. 



2. Pontaster htspidus, sp. n. 



Near Pontaster mimicus, Sladen. 



Rays 5. E. = nearly 7 r. 



Rays elongate, tapering ; abactinal surface plane ; inter- 

 brachial arcs acute. 



Abactinal surface of disk and rays covered with close-set 

 paxillffi of two forms ; the majority are small and are sur- 

 mounted by a few small granules, but a large number on the 

 disk and along the central axis of the ray are larger and are 

 surmounted by numerous small granules surrounding a long 

 central spine. 



Marginal plates closely covered with capillary spinelets ; 

 the supero-marginals, about 44 in number, are almost con- 

 fined to the lateral aspect of the ray, are tumid above the 

 general abactinal plane, and are armed each with a long stout 

 spine ; the infero-marginals, which are larger than the supero- 

 marginals, alternate with these, and are armed eacli with a 

 long stout spine, and sometimes with a smaller finer spine 

 below this. 



Adambulacral plates with a prominent semicircular furrow, 

 margin bearing about ten widely radiating spinelets, and 

 with a strong actinal boss bearing a long stout spine. Mouth- 



