OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 23 



ASTROPHYTID.E. 

 Astrophyton linckii (M. and T.). 



We include this species in our list with 

 the most complete reservation, our only 

 authority being a manuscript of Captain 

 Laskey's quoted by Forbes, in which he 

 mentions having obtained " a great 

 Medusa's-head Starfish in a herring net 

 at Dunbar." A. linckii is a northern 

 species, and was frequently dredged during 

 the "Porcupine" Exploring Expedition. 

 The probability of its occurrence in the 

 Forth is very slight. Mr Norman, for 

 whose opinion we have the highest respect, 

 considers that its area of distribution is 

 confined to the seas of Scandinavia and 

 Shetland. 



ASTEKOIDEA. 



ASTERLAJm 



Asterias rubens (Linn.). 



Firth of Forth (Ed. Mus.). 

 The Uraster rubens of Forbes. This is the 

 most abundant species of Asterid in the 

 Forth, being brought up in numbers at 

 almost every dredging. It is especially 

 common on the shell banks at about 5 

 fathoms, but we also found it at all the 

 localities which we have dredged. Forbes 

 describes a variety A. coriacea from the 

 Forth, which is characterised by the pro- 

 minent spines of the dorsal ridge. We 

 have frequently obtained this variety. 



A. violacea (0. F. MM.). 



Firth of Forth (E. ' F.)\ Firth of Forth 



(Howd.}. 



The Uraster violacea of Forbes. We have 



often obtained this species or variety in 



