CHAP. IV.] THE CRUISES OF THE 'PORCUFINE: 155 



distinct, as well as a very striking form. We only 

 met with it on this occasion. The skeleton of this 

 star-fish at first sight closely resembles that of some 

 species of Ophidiaster, for instance O. asperulus, 

 LtJTKEN. It is at once distinguished, however, by the 

 fundamental character of the quadruple row of ambu- 

 lacral suckers ; and the texture of the surface of 

 the star-fish is utterly difi'erent. The arrangement 

 of the ossicles of the frame-work is perhaps nearest 

 to that in Arthraster dixoni, Forbes, from the lower 

 chalk of Balcombe pit near Amberley, Sussex; but 

 the only specimen of that species, now in the British 

 Museum, unfortunately does not show the arrange- 

 ment of the plates in the ambulacral grooves. 



As our coals were beginning to run short, and 

 what remained were blowing off fast — steaming 

 against rather a strong head wind — we thought it 

 prudent to retrace our steps slowly towards Storno- 

 way, dredging on our way. Accordingly, in the 

 afternoon, we took a haul in lat. 59° 26', N., long. 

 8° 23' W., with a depth of 705 fathoms, and a 

 temperature of B°*9 0. Continuing our easterly 

 course during the night, but heading slightly north- 

 wards so as to come upon the ground where we 

 had been previously so successful in dredging the 

 singular anchoring sponges, we dredged in the 

 morning in lat. 59° 38' N., long. 7° 46' W., with a 

 depth of 445 fathoms and a temperature of 7°* 5 C. 

 This haul was not very rich, but it yielded one speci- 

 men of extraordinary beauty and interest. As the 

 dredge was coming in we got a glimpse from time to 

 time of a large scarlet urchin in the bag. We 

 thought it was one of the highly-coloured forms 



