1882. ] CLASSIFICATION OF THE COMATUL. 733 
The following are cases in which Prof. Bell has wrongly applied 
his own method :— 
1. Antedon macronema. According to Bell’s formula (3 A*) 
this species only differs from the ten-armed Ant. rosacea (3 A”) 
in the cirri consisting of more than 40, instead of less than 20 joints. 
And yet Miiller’ says, “Aus den 5 Armstimmen von 3 Radial- 
gliedern entwickeln sich meist 3 Arme, so dass sich ein Stamm zuerst 
in einen dicken und diinnen theilt, der dickere aber iber dem zweiten 
Glied oder drachiale awillare sich wieder in 2 Arme theilt.” The 
“« brachiale avillare” is what we now call the ‘ distichal axillary ;” 
and as it does not “present a syzygial joint,” Prof. Bell’s formula 
should be V3 Aes 
2. Antedon palmata. The same formula is given for this species 
(3 A?) as for Ant. carinata, which has ten undivided arms. In 
Ant. palmata*, however, ‘‘ Die 10 Primirarme bestehen aus 2 
Gliedern, das zweite axillar. Nach der Theilung wieder 2 Glieder, 
das zweite axillar. Entweder bleibt es dabei oder die Arme theilen 
sich wieder.” That is to say, there are two distichals and two 
palmars, and sometimes even a further division, none of the axillaries 
being syzygies. Hence the formula should be V3 A2; but this is 
insufficient, as it gives no information about the presence of any 
axillaries beyond the distichal one. 
Both the errors above noticed are due to the omission of the sign 
7 , and are possibly due to the printer. But others are of a much 
more serious character and require to be treated in more detail. 
3. Act. alternans. For 3 A'RPP"? read 3 A'DP'(P!"')’- 
. Act. bennetti. For 3A'RDP® read 3 A'DPP!(P");- 
. Act. japonica. For V3 ARE read 3 A'DP;- 
. Act. multiradiata. For 2A'RDP? read 2A’DP(P Ps 
. Act. nove-guinee. For 1(2)A'RDP2 read 1(2)A'RDPP((P") ”. 
. Act. parvicirra. For 3A'/DP& read 3 A'D(P)@. 
. Act. peroni. For 3 A'RDP? read 3 A'DP(P')?- 
10. Act pulchella, For (1.2)3A” read 4/1.2.4'%, and 3A". 
11. Act. schlegeli. For 3A'RDP™ read 3.A'DPP'P"=. 
12. Aet. typica. For 1 A'RD® read 1A'RD{ PP!—Prye. 
The presence of R or D in a formula indicates that the radial or 
distichal axillary ‘‘is a syzygy ;” and this leads to confusion, for the 
two cases are not homologous. The radial axillary is never a syzygy 
in the sense that the distichal axillary is, or that the third or any 
following brachial may be ; i. e. it never primitively consists of two 
1 Loe, cit. p. 258. ? Gattung Comatula, p. 261. 
con mo oO 
