424 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [718] 



pp. 141, 322, Plate 11, figs. 13-22, Plate 12 a , Plate 12 C , figs. 1, 2, (name adopted 

 from Kleiii, 1734, accidentally binomial). 



New Jersey to Brazil ; very abundant along the whole eastern coast 

 of the United States, south of Cape Hatteras, and along the entire 

 coast of the Gulf of Mexico ; rare and local north of Cape Hatteras. 

 Vineyard Sound, 5 to 8 fathoms, rare and dead ; outer beach at Great 

 Egg Harbor, New Jersey, dead. Nan tucket (Agassiz). 



ASTERIOIDEA. 



ASTERIAS ARENIOOLA Stimpson. Plate XXV, fig. 269. (p. 326.) 



Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. viii, p. 268, 1862 ; Verrill, vol. x, p. 339, 1866. 

 Aster acanthioti berylinus Ag. MSS., A. Agassiz, Embryology of Echinod., in Proc. 

 Amer. Acad., 1863 ; Embryology of the Starfish, in Agassiz Contributions, vol. 

 v, p. 3 ; Sea-Side Studies, p. 108, figs. 141-145, 1865 (t. Agassiz). 



Massachusetts Bay to Northern Florida and the northern shores of 

 the Gulf of Mexico ; rare and local, in sheltered localities, north of Mas- 

 sachusetts, as at Quahog Bay, east of Portland, Maine ; but not known 

 from the eastern part of the coast of Maine, nor in the Bay of Fundy. 



Very common in Long Island Sound ; Buzzard's Bay ; Vineyard 

 Sound ; and along the shores of Long Island, from low-water to 15 

 fathoms. Not uncommon in Massachusetts Bay, at Nahant, Beverly, 

 &c. 



ASTERIAS FORBESII Verrill. 



Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. x, p. 345, 1868. Aateracanthlon Forbesii Desor, 

 Proc. Boston Soc. N. H., vol. iii, p. 67, 1848. 



Buzzard's Bay to Beverly, Massachusetts. Vineyard Sound and off 

 Gay Head, 6 to 14 fathoms; Buzzard's Bay, 6 fathoms ; Chelsea and 

 Beverly, Massachusetts, low-water. Vineyard Sound, 8 fathoms, (De- 

 sor). 



This is probably identical with the preceding species, the differences 

 being, perhaps, chiefly sexual, but I have not yet had opportunities to 

 satisfy myself fully in regard to this point, and, therefore, leave them, 

 for the present, under separate names. Should they be united, the 

 name Forbesii has the precedence over all others. 



ASTERIAS VULG-ARIS Stimpson, MSS. (p. 496.) 



Packard, in Canadian Naturalist and Geologist, Dec., 1863 (no description); 

 Verrill, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. x, p.- 347. 1866 (description). Astera- 

 canthion palUdus Ag. MSS. ; A. Agassiz, Embryology, in Proc. Amer. Acad., 

 1863 (no description); Embryology of the Starfish, in Agassiz' Contributions, 

 vol. v, p. 3. Asterias rubens Gould, Invert., ed. i, p. 345 (non Linne"). 



Long Island Sound to Labrador, and (?) Greenland. Very abundant 

 in Massachusetts Bay, Casco Bay, Bay of Fundy, from above low-water 

 mark to 40 fathoms ; in the deeper parts of Vineyard Sound and off 

 Gay Head, in 6 to 25 fathoms, not uncom-non ; off Watch Hill, Rhode 

 Island, 4 to 5 fathoms, com -non; Faulkner's Island, Connecticut, low- 

 water, very rare. 



