408 PBOF. r. JEFFREY BELL ON THE [May 1, 



Dr. Lutken's view is expressed thus ' : — " One has some help in this 

 difficult work from colour-markings, but it is not to be under- 

 stood that all individuals of the same species present the same 

 colour, or have quite the same design (Tegning) ; but as a rule one 

 . will find that every species has its characteristic pattern or system, 

 in the details of which it rarely makes exceptions." 



While much of this is true, it is on the other hand perfectly 

 certain that any one who attempts to name species of OjiMothrLv 

 with colour or pattern as his guide will soon find he can make very 

 little way. I can, indeed, only repeat and enforce what I said in 

 1884'"' on this point. For example, Oj)liiotlirLv martensi was said 

 by its describer, Lyman, to be bright indigo on the dorsal surface 

 of the disc, but there is in the present collection a specimen 

 which is light green. 



The identification of specimens of OpMoihrix is such a difficult 

 matter that it is unnecessary to express the hope that other 

 workers will imitate my reserve. The difficulty is to get any one 

 to woi'k at the genus at all ! 



OpHIOPTEEOST ELEGAIfS. 



Ophiopteron elegans, Ludwig, Zeitschr. f. wiss. Zool. xlvii. (1888) 

 p. 459. 



Mr. Bassett-Smith is to be warmly congratulated on taking 

 examples of this species, which is known only from the single well- 

 preserved and the one ill-preserved specimen brought to Europe 

 by the late Dr. J. Brock, and fully described by Prof. Ludwig in 

 1888. 1 have made a careful examination of the seven specimens 

 in the present collection, and have nothing material to add to 

 Prof. Ludwig's account. I notice, however, a pinkish hue on the 

 dorsal surface of the arms. 



The examples were taken at various depths between 23 and 

 47 fathoms. 



The most remarkable and interesting find of Mr. Bassett-Smith 

 when on the ' Egeria ' was an Ophiurid, of which it is difficult to 

 exactly assign the systematic position. 



Description of the Specimen. — With the general appearance of a 

 joung Astrophyton (see Plate XXVLC.), the joints of the arms are 

 distinctly marked off from one another by brown lines ; the joints 

 of the more distal branches are slightly coUed on themselves, but 

 the more proximal trunks and branches appear to be quite stifE. 

 The disc is covered above and below by a number of plates ; there 

 are teeth and mouth-papiUfe ; the bui'sal clefts are small and on 

 the side of the arm, or in the same position as in Trichuster or 

 Astrophyton. The surface of the arms is coarsely granular, and 

 there are spiny hooks at the side of the arm : so that there is so 

 far no essential difference from the typical Astrophytid structure. 



1 Tom. cit. p. 51. 



'■' Eeport .... Voyage H.M.S. ' Alert ' (LondoB, 1884). See particularly 

 pp. 117, 141 & 142. 



