THE IRISH SEA. 121 



1. SOLASTER ENDECA.* 



Rays nine to eleven, shorter than the breadth of the disk. Disk 

 and rays thickly and irregularly covered with elevated tubercles, 

 crowned by a circle of short rough spines, generally surrounding a 

 similar central spine. Three sets of spines bordering the avenues: 

 first or inner consisting of fasciculi of spines on tubercles, like the 

 ordinary spines of the rays, but thicker : second, transverse narrow 

 compressed ridges bearing two rows of spines ; and third, transverse 

 rows, of from five to ten spines webbed together towards the base. 

 Madriporiform tubercle lateral, striate. 



Rather scarce on the Manx coast, but occasionally dredged in deep 

 water. Colour deep purple. Largest specimen taken measured six 

 and a half inches across. 



2. SOLASTER PAPPOSA.t 



Rays thirteen, one-half as long as the breadth of the disk. Rays 

 and disk covered by bundles of spiculiform striated spines, eighteen 

 or twenty in each fasciculus, irregularly arranged in five longitudinal 

 rows. Avenues bordered by three sets of spines : first (or inner) 

 consisting of from eighteen to twenty fasciculated spines, placed on 

 a broad compressed articulated base ; second, of about eight long 

 striated spines, placed on transverse ridges ; third (or outer) consist- 

 ing of longitudinal fasciculi of spines, four or five in each fasciculus. 

 Madriporiform tubercle lateral, punctate. Disk red ; rajs white, 

 tipped with red. Measures eight inches across. Very common in 

 deep water. 



VII. STELLONIA (Nardo), Agassiz.— #<*/y stel- 

 late, few-rayed, rays rounded, covered with simple or coro- 

 nated spines ; avenues bordered by three sets of spines ; 

 suckers quadriserial — PI. III. Fig. 7. 



1 STELLONIA RUBENS.} - 

 Rays four to six, three and a half times as long as the breadth of 



" Aslerias endeca, Linn. ; Link, tab. 15 and 16, No. 26 and tab. 17, No. 

 27 ; Flem. p. 487 ; Lam. ii. p. 560, No. 28."; Johnston, Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. 

 ix. p. 300, fig. 44. Stellonia endeca, Agassiz. 



•f Asterias papposa, Linn ; Lamarck, ii. p. 559 ; Fleming, p. 487 ; Link, 

 tab. 17, fig. 28 and tab. 22, fig. 52. Asterias helianthoides, Pennant, Brit. 

 Zool., v. iv. p. 66, No. 72. Stellonia papposa, Ag. 



X Asterias rubens, Linn. ; Fabr. Fauna Groenlandica, p. 369 ; Lamarck, 

 ii. P . 5R2 •, Link, p. 7, fie;. 9, p. 11, fig. 15, pi. 14, fig. 23, pi. 15 and J6, fig! 



