214 Miscellaneous. 



in .J;i])an : and we should possess materials sufficient to enable us 

 to solve the question. 



"VVe know that a multitude of plants and animals occur both in 

 Japan and in the north of China. The relation of the floras and 

 faunas leads to the presumption that lands now separated "were 

 united at a more or less ancient period. Standing upon zoological 

 facts, however, it is as yet difficult to adopt any such opinion with 

 regard to the Japanese islands. ^lany types found in Japan have 

 never been observed in eastern China. The great salamander of 

 Siebold is an example of this ; and it must be remarked that the 

 allied species recently discovered only inhabits western China. In 

 Japan alone the species of one of the most singular genera of carni- 

 vorous insects (the genus Damaster) have been met with ; and it is 

 worthy of notice that in each of the large islands of the archipelago 

 a peculiar species of this genus has been taken. The period has not 

 yet arrived for the complete appreciation of the totality of the rela- 

 tions which exist between the Japanese islands and the continent ; 

 one piece of knowledge is entirely wanting — that of the natural 

 productions of Corea. — Comptes Bendns. July 10, 1871, tome Ixxiii. 

 p. 79. 



On the Pedicellarife and Ambulacra of Echinoneus. 

 By Edmond Pekriek. 



In my memoir on the pedicellariro and ambulacra of the starfishes 

 and sea-urchins, I was obliged to leave a considerable gap with re- 

 spect to the irregular Echinida. In the collection of the museum 

 most of the animals belonging to this group had lost the organs in 

 question. An Echinoneus of undetermined origin and belonging to 

 M. Deshayes has enabled me to diminish this gap a little. 



In this animal, which is perfectly preserved in spirits, 1 have 

 been able to ascertain the existence of two kinds of pedicellariae : 

 some of them, which are very small, occur on the buccal membrane, 

 and are analogous in fonu to the tiidactyle pedicellariic of the true 

 Echinidoe ; whilst the others, which are much hugcr, occur on the 

 surface of the test. The form of the latter is that of the tridactyle 

 pediceUarijB of the Spatamji, except that their base is produced into 

 a semicircular arc, analogous in form and position to that of the 

 ophicephalous pediccUarinD of Echinus and allied genera. 



These two kinds of pedicellariie are furnished with a long pedicel, 

 npiin which they do not rest directly. 



The solid pieces of the ambulacral tubes greatly resemble those of 

 the regular Echinida. We find in them a rosette furnished with its 

 frame, and spicules. 



The rosette is, as usual, formed of six pieces ; but it is more con- 

 cave than in the regular Echinida. Moreover, instead of being 

 formed by a reticulated ]ilate of several layers united by transverse 

 calcareous bars, each of the pieces of which the rosette is composed 

 consists simply of a calcareous plate pierced with holes and toothed 

 at the margins, but irregularly. The frauu^ juvsents nothing 

 peculiar. 



