196 ME. H. PAEQUHAR ON NEW ZEALAND ECHIN0DEEM3. 



The two series are separated by a band of granules ; the granules 

 sometimes extend between the small spinelets of the furrow 

 series. The madreporite is usually nearer the edge of the disc 

 than the centre ; it is distinct and rather large. " Small en- 

 trenched pedicellarise of the characteristic figure-of-eight form " 

 are extremely numerous on the areas between the plates \A'ith 

 the granules scattered among them, both on the actii^al and 

 abactinal surfaces. The colour in the dried state is yellowish, 

 and in life reddish orange. 



AsTEEiNA EEGTJLAEis, Verrill. 



A number of specimens of this species which I have collected 

 near Wellington shows that it often belies its name. Two of 

 them have seven rays each, five have six rays each, several have 

 more than one madreporite plate ; and there is a specimen in 

 the Colonial Museum with eight rays. Several of these are 

 so distinct from normal specimens of A. regularis, that if a 

 series were found in a separate locality, a new species might 

 safely be established for them. Prof. Perrier has described 

 another New Zealand species of this genus, A. novce-zelandicB; but 

 unless it be very different from A. regularis, or has been described 

 from a good series showing a constant difference, it may be one 

 of these abnormal forms, which are not uncommon. I stated 

 (Trans. N. Z. Inst. vol. xxvii. p. 199) that this species occurs in 

 Australia. My authority was the 'Alert ' Eeport. Mr.Whitelegge 

 states, however, that it is not found at Port Jackson (Proc. Eoy. 

 Soc. N. S. W. vol. xxiii. p. 202, 1889) ; and the " good series " of 

 the 'Alert ' Eeport probably belongs to some other form. I have a 

 series of very fine specimens which were sent to me by Mr. Lukins 

 from JSTelaon. Amongst these are several with two spines 

 on each of the interradial plates on the actinal surface ; others 

 have one spine on the large plates near the mouth and two on 

 the smaller ones near the margin. Not unfrequently the four 

 or five large plates immediately outside the mouth-plates are 

 without spines. The adambulacral plates bear two or three 

 spines, forming a single row in the furrow. 



Stichaster poltplax, Muller Sf Troschel. 

 This is the species which I described under the name Tarsaster 

 neozehnicus. Trans. N. Z. Inst. vol. xxvii. p. 207, pi. xii. (1894). 



