232 Miscellaneous. 



present, are less apparent and not so much produced, and the lower 

 surface, in its general aspect, presents much resemblance to that of 

 Holcister and Echinocorys. The apical apparatus is perfectly pre- 

 served in one of our species {A. ciibensis) ; it is not elongated, as M. 

 Desor supposed, but compact and subcircular. 



To sum up. The genus Aster ostonut, by its general characters, the 

 anterior ambulacral area different from the others, the subpetaloid 

 paired ambulacral areas, the transverse peristome, which is most fre- 

 quently very excentric in front, and the rounded periprocta, situated 

 on the posterior surface above the ambitus, takes its place in the 

 family of the EchinocorydoDe ; its compact apical apparatus, furnished 

 behind with an ang-ular complementary plate, which penetrates to 

 the centre of the apparatus, seems to approximate it to the true 

 Spatangidtc ; but it must not be forgotten that it Echinocorys, Holaster, 

 and Cardiaster have an elongated apical apparatus, there is also 

 among the Echinocorydeae the genus Stenonia which, although verj- 

 nearly alHed to Echinocorys, has nevertheless a compact and sub- 

 circular apical apparatus. 



The genus Asterostoma includes three species, which, although 

 presenting numerous points of resemblance, are nevertheless per- 

 fectly distinct : — 



Asterostoma excentricum, Agassiz. 



Jimenoi, Cotteau. 



cubensis, Cotteau. 



We do not know positively the deposit from which the species of 

 Asterostoma are obtained. The specimen in the Paris Museum bears 

 no indication of locality ; it is penetrated by a hard, compact, greyish 

 limestone, which, according to D'Orbigny, indicates a bed older than 

 the Tertiary formation, and may be Cretaceous. The specimens 

 collected in Cuba by M. Jimcno are also derived from a hard, greyish 

 rock; but this peti'ographic character is certainly not sufficient to refer 

 them to the Cretaceous formation. Zoological characters furnish more 

 conclusive arguments. The family Ecliinocorydeae, in which I have 

 placed Asterostoma, has hitherto included only exclusively Cretaceous 

 genera ; and, on the other hand, the genus Asterostoma, considered in 

 itself, departs in its general characters from aU the Tertiary or living 

 types that we know. It may, therefore, probably belong to the 

 Cretaceous formation; but these are only presumptions, and to obtain 

 more certainty we must wait for the stratigraphical information for 

 which I have asked M. Jimeno. — Comptes Benclus, February 7, 1870, 

 tome Ixx. pp. 271-273. 



Sars Fund. 



The appeal for assistance to the family of the late Professor Sars 

 has been most satisfactorily responded to here and in France ; and 

 the subscription lists comprise the names of all the princijial zoolo- 

 gists and geologists, as will be seen by our advertising columns as 

 regards this country. The French list (including Belgium) amounts 

 to about 5000 francs, or .£200 of our money. 



