SHALLOW- WATER STARFISHES /I 



In the same collection was a large six-rayed specimen from Dis- 

 covery Sound, 1885, which differs in no other respect from the 

 ordinary five-rayed specimen. A similar one, in our collection, was 

 collected near Monterey, Calif., by Dr. W. R. Coe. 



The smallest specimen that I have seen has the radii 14 mm. and 

 41 mm. ; ratio about i : 2.8. The disk is elevated. The dorsal sur- 

 face is thickly covered with characteristic nodular groups and imper- 

 fect reticulations of capitate spines, like those of larger specimens, 

 but smaller. On the disk they form a distinct stellate pentagon and a 

 central cluster. 



The upper marginal row is simple. The inferomarginal row is 

 double. There are also two simple rows of actinal spines ; all these 

 forming four very regular, close-set rows of nearly equal obtuse 

 ventral spines. On the lateral channels, proximally, there are a few 

 of the large, erect, wedge-shaped pedicellarise, characteristic of the 

 large specimens. 



Its color is variable, and often very showy; most frequently it is 

 dark or light orange, varying to yellow, to chocolate-brown, and to 

 violet ; spines are paler. 



This is the most common of the species of Pisaster, from Mon- 

 terey and San Francisco to Sitka. In most places it is by far the 

 most abundant large starfish of the shores. It occurs at low tide 

 among rocks and in shallow water. 



It was collected by the Harriman Expedition at Sitka, Virgin Bay, 

 Wrangel, and other localities in southern Alaska. 



Mr. J. F. Whiteaves, of the Canadian Geological Survey, formerly 

 sent me specimens from the following localities : Sooke, Vancouver 

 Sound, one very large, 21 inches across (Macoun, 1887) ; Barclay 

 Sound, one very large, 20 inches across ( 1887) ; Discovery Sound, 

 one large six-rayed example, otherwise normal (G. M. Dawson, 

 1885) ; Queen Charlotte Islands (Dawson, 1885). 



I have also examined many specimens from Victoria, B. C. ; Puget 

 Sound; Tomales Bay; Monterey; San Luis Obispo Bay; San 

 Diego, Calif., and various other places on the coast of California. 

 Its southern range extends certainly to Santa Barbara, Calif., and 

 probably beyond San Diego. 



This can scarcely be confounded with any other species, for its 

 conspicuously acervate and reticulate, capitate dorsal spines are 

 characteristic. The reticulation of E. troschelii and L. epichlora 

 is much less conspicuous, and the former has more slender rays; 

 but both, even when very young, differ in having biserial adambu- 

 lacral spines. Larger specimens could hardly be mistaken. 



