ZOOLOGY OF THE BERMUDAS. 143 



some individuals, in others it is blue, or of both colors combined. 



Asterias Atlantioa, Verrill. 



Common in the entrance to Harrington Sound, opposite 

 Flatts Village — under stones; dredged in Harrington Sound. 



Linokia Guildingrii, Qray. 



A single specimen, marked as having been collected by Mr. 

 Janney in the Bermudas, is in the possession of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences. 



OPHIUROIDEA. 



Six species of ophiurians were obtained in our dredgings 

 and under rock shelters, the greater number of which, so far as 

 I am aware, had not hitherto been reported from the Bermudas. 

 For a critical examination and review of the species I am in- 

 debted mainly to mj' assistant, Mr. J. E. Ives, who has made a 

 careful study of all the species in the collections of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences. From an examination of many of these 

 forms I feel satisfied that too much dependence should not be 

 placed upon the constancy in minute details of either the form 

 or relative size of the arm plates and their appendages, nor 

 upon an exact scheme of coloration. These characters, and 

 others that may be added, which have been drawn in very 

 close limits by Mr. Lyman in his several memoirs, vary ma- 

 terially within the limits of the same individual, and render the 

 discrimination of species which have been most "elaborately " 

 defined as to exact lengths and breadthsof the arm-shields and 

 oval plates, the precise form and number of the arm-spines, 

 etc., a matter of almo.st hopeless impossibility. 

 Ophiocoma orassispina, Say. 



One specimen, taken at low water from the North Rock, 

 which agrees perfectly with the species described by Say from 

 the coast of Florida (Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila. v, p. 147). 

 This species is generally considered to be identical with the 

 Ophiocoma {Ophiura) echinata of Lamarck, but I am disposed 

 to consider this identification erroneous, unless, indeed, several 



