810 CAPT. F. W. HUTTON ON NEW STARFISHES. [Nov. 5, 



all the other migratory species that visit us in summer takes place 

 after a very sensible change in the temperature; but at the end of 

 January the heat is unmitigated — it is, in fact, often greater than in 

 the solstice. Thus the Churinche disappears nearly three weeks 

 before the Swallows (the first birds, excepting him, to leave us) ; and 

 yet he reappears simultaneously with them. 



When the adults have gone, the silent young birds remain. In a 

 month's time the sexes of these may be distinguished. After another 

 month the males are heard at times to sing, and are frequently seen 

 pursuing each other over the fields. It is only at the end of April, 

 three months after the old birds have gone, that they also take their 

 departure. How remarkable it is that so long a time should elapse 

 between the departure of the old and of the young birds, when so 

 many other species migrate at the same time with their offspring ! 

 The adult Churinche leaves us three weeks before the adult Progne 

 chalybea, the young Churinche nine weeks after the young P. 

 chalybea. The autumn cold, storms, and frosty nights seem to be 

 the immediate cause of the young birds' departure ; but in the de- 

 parture of the adults migration appears to be an instinct quite inde- 

 pendent of atmospheric changes. 



4. Descriptions of some new Starfishes from New Zealand. 

 By Captain F. W. Htjtton, C.M.Z.S. 



[Keceived August 7, 1872.] 



Fam. Ophiurid.e. 

 Ophiothrix oerulea, sp. nov. 



Disk pentagonal, the sides with reentering obtuse angles ; radial 

 shields naked, shagreened, the outer corner curved upwards, each 

 pair separated by three rectangular plates, bearing one or two long 

 tapering rough spines ; centre of disk and a band between the pairs 

 of radial shields covered with small scales, each bearing a single 

 spine. 



Rays about four times the diameter of the disk ; under ray-plates 

 cordate, with the point inwards and truncate ; upper ray-plates 

 rather broader than long, the sides produced into angles and bent 

 down ; spines arranged three in a row, longer than the breadth of 

 the ray, tapering and strongly spinous. 



Mouth-shields rhomboidal ; tooth-papillae three in a row, except 

 the lowest, which has only two. 



Colour pale blue, with a band of purplish white, edged with 

 purplish black down the centre of the upper surface of the rays ; 

 under surface of the rays white; disk mottled with purplish ; mouth- 

 papillae yellowish. 



About 3 inches from the tips of the rays. 



Two specimens are in the Colonial Museum, but without locality. 



