268 Mr. J. J. Quelch on some Stylasteride. 
Believing, as Mr. Wright did, that D. nitida, V., was 
of a whitish tint, and that it was found in the West-Indian 
fauna, he could im all good faith describe Lady Brassey’s very 
large and beautiful specimen as new ; but as it happens that 
D. nitida has the same coloration as this specimen, varying 
from a bright red to light orange, agrees with it in its other essen- 
tial features, and comes from very nearly the same locality in 
the Pacific, the specific name he has proposed cannot stand. 
The specimen is decidedly a typical example of Verrill’s 
species. 
Mr. Wright says, “D. nitida of Verrill, as judged by the 
Museum examples, it certainly is not.” It 1s strange that 
Mr. Wright should have taken as his standard of comparison 
specimens doubtfully referable to Verrill’s spectes—specimens 
which, as he himself remarks in his letter, have a query (?) 
appended to their names. His method of identification, 
which thus neglects the description itself of the species, is 
certainly peculiar. 
I may point out again that the variation in the colours of 
different specimens of D, nitida, as described by Verrill, is 
remarkable; and the fine examples collected by Lady Brassey, 
as shown in the description and plates that have been given 
f them, are wanting in characters by which to separate them 
ee rs . than those of the very variable differences in the shades 
st “ ey AVS, saan ih ac os 
therences Ww aTU 135-SUCn.-as one 
a 
an oy 
described by 
Hnet from one another 
remarks on ‘Tenison-Woods’ species. 
In reply to Mr. Wright’s note of exclamation, Imay say that 
it really does not seem necessary to explain why, in appending 
a query to the names of specimens which, in the present state 
of knowledge, seem to be divergent and, perhaps, even doubtful 
forms of the species, I regard such a course as preferable to 
publishing them as new, or to labelling them definitely with 
ihe name of a species of which they cannot be regarded as 
typical examples, and from which, on further knowledge, 
they may have to be separated. 
Lastly, 1 must say that I regret extremely to have to seem 
lacking in courtesy to the distinguished lady after whom one 
