NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 



391 



columns, rest upon the soft pcrisome, arcade-like spaces are left between the skin and the 

 upper calcareous pavement. The eggs pass into these spaces from the ovarial openings : 

 on bending the pcrisome and separating the facets, they may be seen in numbers among 

 the shafts of the paxilli. There is a continual discharge of ova into the passages, so that 

 eggs and young in different stages of development occupy the spaces at one time. The 

 young do not escape until at least six ambulacral suckers are formed on each arm ; they 



Fig. 147. — Leplychaster bergwlen&is, E. A. Smith. Off Cape Maclear, Kerguelen Island. Twice the natural size. 



may then be seen pushing their way out by forcing the paxilli to the side, and squeezing 

 through the chink between them. While it is extricating itself the oral surface of the 

 young is always above : and the centre of the star with the mouth is usually the part 

 which first protrudes ; then the arms disengage themselves one after another, many of 

 the brood remaining for a time with one or two arms free and the others still under the 

 paxilli. When the young have become disengaged, they remain for a considerable time 

 attached to the parent by the centre of the dorsal surface. I could never satisfy myself 



