44 BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



light colored blotches ; spines and madreporite, yellowish or whitish ; actinal sur- 

 face yellowish, the pedicels darker than the spines. 



Range. — San Lorenzo and Manta, Ecuador (Rathbun) ; Payta, Peru (M. C. Z. 

 and U. S. N. M.) ; Aucon, Peru (Rathbun); Callao, Peru (Meissner) ; Arica 

 and Iquique, Chili (Plate) ; Mejillones, Chili (M. 0. Z.) ; Caldera, Chili (M. C. Z) ; 

 Copiapo, Chili (Leipoldt) ; Guasco, Chili (Say) ; Coquimbo and Valparaiso, 

 Chili (Plate). — How far north of the equator this species occurs we have no 

 definite information; but there can be little question that Stimpson's (1857) 

 record of it from Mazatlan, Mexico, is based on a specimen of microbrachius. 

 It probably does not reach Panama Bay, or the many collectors who have b< eu 

 there would have found it, and by similar argument we may say it does not range to 

 any great distance south of Valparaiso. It has not been taken at any of the outlying 

 islands. 1 We are justified, therefore, in considering its range to be as follows : — 



Mainland coast of western South America from northern Ecuador {about 2° N. 

 lat.) to Valparaiso, Chili (33° 2' S. lat.). 



Remarks. — As this is the longest known and the largest species, it is probably 

 most often seen in museums, and most frequently referred to in literature. The 

 compound nature of the madreporite has been spoken of by many writers, but 

 examination of a large series of specimens shows that the madreporite is not 

 different, early in life, from that of Asterias, and not even in adults is it always 

 broken up, for it may remain single and without peculiarities throughout life. 

 Young specimens of helianthus usually have the rays much more blunt and less 

 tapering than adults, and the three longitudinal series of spines on the abactinal 

 side of each ray are usually very distiuct. — Among the specimens sent me from 

 the National Museum is an interesting individual (No. 21947), about 120 mm. 

 in diameter, and having 32 rays, labelled " Loc. ? Albatross, 1888." The fur- 

 ther information is given in a list of the Heliasters sent, " Pound in bottom of 

 tank ; may belong to one of above lots ; " the " above lots " referred to are from 

 the Galapagos Islands and the Gulf of California. Although too young to make 

 identification certain, the specimen is apparently a young helianthus, as shown by 

 the form and arrangement of the abactinal spines, the madreporite, and the long, 

 free (33-40 per cent) rays. The locality of this specimen is therefore a matter 

 of great interest, for the " Albatross " in 1888 made no shore collections between 

 Lota, Chili (37° S. lat.), and Panama, save at the Galapagos Islands, and all 

 of these places are well outside the known range of helianthus. 



Material examined : — 



collection. 



51 specimens 5 localities. 



1 Plate's (1896) reference to helianthus at Juan Fernandez is probably based on 

 specimens of canopus. 



