Messrs Leslie and Herdman on Invertebrata of Firth of Forth. 91 



the Firth; and have always been inclined 

 to regard it as a mere variety of the widely- 

 distributed and polymorphic Asterias ruhens. 

 At present, however, we have followed Mr 

 Norman and Professor Perrier in giving it 

 the rank of a separate species. Forbes 

 states that it is by far commoner than A. 

 ruhens at the mouth of the Firth. 



ECHINASTERID^E. 



Solaster pcqjposus (Linn.). 



Firth of Forth {Ud. Mus.). 

 Solastcr iiapposa of Forbes. It is a common 

 species in the Firth. We often got it at 

 low tide, and have dredged it from shallow 

 water to 14 fathoms. It attains a very 

 large size, and in this respect offers a 

 marked contrast to its dwarfed northern 

 congeners, S. horealis and S. fnrdfer. 



S. endcca (Linn.). 



Anstruther [J. G) ; Firth of Forth {M'B.}. 



This species is less common than >S''. pai^- 



posns. We never obtained it at low water 



on the rocks, but dredged it frequently at 



depths of 5 to 16 fathoms. 



Cribrella oculata (Linck). 



Firth of Forth (M'B.) ; Firth of Forth 



(F. M. B). 



The Crihella oculata of Forbes. It is a 



not uncommon species. We have found 



it among rocks at low water at Aberdour 



and near Newhaven, and have dredged it 



on the oyster banks and elsewhere at 



greater depths. 



GONIASTERIDiE. 



Hippasteria p)lctna (Linck sp.). 



Firth of Forth {Dr Neill) ;* Firth of Forth 

 {F. M. B). 



* Fleming, "Hist. Brit. Animals," p. 486. Edin., 1828. 



