520 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP FISH AND FISHERIES. [18] 



The small disk and the basal, slightly swollen portion of the arms are 

 covered with small sharp spinules, arranged in small clusters or stand- 

 ing singly, but not forming definite transverse groups on the basal part 

 of the arms. The marginal spines are long and very slender, and mostly 

 stand in a single row. The other {B. costata V.) is a coarser species, 

 which usually comes up broken into numerous fragments, by sponta- 

 neous division. In this species the spinules and pedicellarise form large 

 and prominent transverse ridges or ribs on the swollen basal part of the 

 arms, as well as on the distal portion. It resembles the B. coronata Sars, 

 in general appearance. It was taken during the last two seasons in 

 991 to 2,021 fathoms. 



The curious little pentagonal star-fish, described by Wyville Thomson 

 (Voyage of the " Challenger," p. 378, Figs. 97, 98), as Porcellanaster coeru- 

 leus (figs. 40, 41), was taken in considerable numbers at many localities, 

 in 1883 and 1884, in 816 to 1,917 fathoms. Its ccerulean color is due 

 only to the bluish mud, with which its large stomach is usually filled, 

 showing through the translucent integument. The real color is buff or 

 pale salmon. 



Among the large and showy forms of star-fishes is a new species of 

 Solaster {8. abyssicola V.), which is bright red or orange in color, and 

 often becomes over a foot in diameter. It has a broad disk and usually 

 eight or nine arms. It has rather small rounded clusters of spinules on 

 moderately elevated paxillse, both above and beneath. The spinulation 

 is coarser and the paxillsB larger, more elevated, and less crowded than 

 in 8. endeca, of the shallow waters. 



The Ophiurans were abundantly represented by many species, some 

 of which were previously undescribed and others unknown from this 

 region. Several of them are of large size and conspicuous. Among 

 these one of the largest and most abundant was Ophiomusium Lymani, 

 of which many hundreds or even thousands were often taken in a single 

 haul in 900 to 1,100 fathoms. It has occurred at many localities in 238 

 to 2,033 fathoms. Another almost equally large species of the same 

 genus (0. armigerum Lym.) also occurred abundantly at several stations 

 in 1,731 to 2,369 fathoms. A handsome species, remarkable for its large 

 and distinct, symmetrically arranged dorsal scales (OpMoglypha bullata), 

 has been taken in considerable numbers in 1,608 to 2,574 fathoms. A 

 smaller flattened species (0. lepida Lym.) occurred in vast numbers at 

 several stations, both in 1883 and 1884. It seems to be very abundant 

 at about 1,500 fathoms, and is widely diffused in 428 to 2,574 fathoms. 

 Our perfect specimens generally, if not always, have small, slender 

 spinules scattered over the disk, which was not the case with the orig- 

 inal types described by Lyman. The spinules are easily rubbed oft'. 

 A large species of Ophiochiton (0. grandis V.) was taken in 888 fathoms. 

 This genus had not been taken before in this part of the Atlantic. 

 Numerous species of OpMacantha, which is a very common and charac- 

 teristic deep-water genus, were taken, among which were several that 



