840 



MK. F. P. BEDFORD ON HOLOTHUKIATfS [NoV. 15, 



Var. of H. atra Jaeger (Theel & Sluiter), ■w\i\c\\ = H. floridana 

 Pourtales and Selenka and H. aflnis (Microthele) Brandt. 



References. L. G. Pourtales, Proc. Am. Assoc, vol. v. 1851, 

 pp. 12, 13. 

 H. Ludvvig, Z. f. w. Z. xxxv. 1881, p. 596. 

 H. Ludwig, Ber. Oberh. Ges. xxii. 1883, pp. 170, 171. 

 C. Ph. Sluiter, Natuurk. Tijd. v. Ned. Ind. xlvii. 1887, 



pp. 187, 188. 

 C. Ph. Sluiter, Semon's Zool. Forsch. in Austr. u. Mai. 

 Arch. Bd. v. Lf. i. 1894, pp. 103, 104. 

 Ludwig {I. c, 1883) seems to have first suggested that the two 

 forms of this species, which were separated by Semper and which 

 were from that time considered to be distinct species, were in reality 

 well-marked colour-varieties of the same species, indistinguishable 

 by any constant anatomical characters. Var. amhoinensis is uni- 

 form dark brown or black, whereas in the other variety, which may 

 be termed var. affi,ms=H.atra Jaeger (Theel and Sluiter), the ends 

 of the feet and papillas are whitish. In 1887 {I. c.) Sluiter had been 

 unable to find intermediates between the two forms, bat in 1894 

 {I. c.) he describes such among 5 individuals from Amboina. 



Distribution. Both varieties are extremely widely distributed 

 over the In do-Pacific region and occur also in the circumtropical 

 East American littoral region. 



Two specimens from Eotuma and several from outer reef and 

 lagoon, Funafuti, all belonging to var. amhoiaensis. 



In four specimens dissected the following organization 

 occurred : — 



HoLOTHUEiA IMPATIENS Forskal {Fistuluria). 



Holothuria impatiens, P. ForskSl, Descriptiones Animalium, 

 1775, pp. 121, 122. 



Holothuria hotellus Selenka ; E. Selenka, Z. f. w. Z. xvii. 1867, 

 p. 335, Taf. xix. figs. 82-84. 



