1 88 VERRILL 



sparsely scattered on the papular areas. The distal dorsal spines 

 have thick wreaths of minor pedicellariae. 



There are but two distinct double rows of lateral and ventral 

 spines. The upper one, which appears to be the superomarginal, 

 usually has three spines to a plate proximally but only two distally ; 

 the spines are like the dorsals but slightly larger. The lower or 

 inferomarginal row bears two spines to a plate, regularly, the spines 

 being like those above. This row of plates is separated from the 

 adambulacrals by a row of papular areas. 



The adambulacral plates have each two slender, divergent spines, 

 which are tapered and subacute and carry numerous acute-lanceo- 

 late major pedicellariae of moderate size; similar pedicellariae are 

 abundant on the interradial areas and marginal channels. 



The radii are 13 mm. and 54 mm. ; ratio, i : 4. 



Albert Bay, British Columbia (Miss Kate Foote, January, 1887, 

 Yale Museum). 



This species looks more like the typical species of Asterias of the 

 North Atlantic than any other west-coast species known to me. It 

 resembles some varieties of A. rubens and A. forbesi quite strongly, 

 but the evenly reticulated arrangement of the dorsal plates and 

 spines and the absence of a larger median row give it a character- 

 istic appearance. The lack of interactinal plates and spines is dis- 

 tinctive. 



Genus AUasterias Verrill. 



Type, A. rathbuni Verrill. 

 AUasterias Verrill, Amer. Journ. Sci., xxviii, p. 65, 1909. 



Distinguished by the arrangement of the adambulacral spines, in 

 several series, of which one is deeper within the groove on alternate 

 plates. Disk rather large, areolate. Dorsal ossicles numerous, but 

 small, arranged, both on the disk and rays, in a reticulate manner 

 around the papular areas, which are numerous, and bear large groups 

 of small papulae. Spines numerous, arranged irregularly, or placed 

 around the papular areas, but usually forming a median radial series. 

 Upper marginal plates rather large and stout, so as to form an 

 angular margin, bearing one or several spines larger than the dorsals. 

 Lower marginals not close to the adambulacrals, bearing in the type 

 two or three spines, longer than the upper ones. Actinals rudi- 

 mentary or lacking. A wide intermarginal channel, with many for- 

 ficulate pedicellariae. 



