30G 



DB. P. II. CABPENTEB ON THE 



species on p. 53 and in the distribution-lists at the end of the 

 Report. 



The five examples of A. elegans from Mergui are mostly 

 larger than those obtained by the 1 Challenger ' and 1 Alert ' 

 in the Arafura Sea and Torres Strait respectively. The 

 arms of the largest one reach 10 centim. in length, and their 

 earlier joints are relatively shorter, with a more wedge-shaped 

 outline and a greater tendency to overlap than is visible in 

 the 'Challenger' specimens. The number of arms is small, 

 however, rarely exceeding thirty ; for the post-palmar series 

 which occur in three of the four individuals obtained by the 

 1 Challenger ' are not present at all in those from Mergui ; and 

 the full complement of palmar series is rarely found on any 

 ray. As a rule, only the two inner series are present ; so that 

 there are six arms to the ray, viz. 1, 2, 2, 1, as in A. spinifera ; 

 while the distichal axillaries are sometimes altogether absent. 

 Both these conditions are well shown in the specimen figured by 

 Bell. On the other hand, the Mergui forms show hut little 

 tendency to any variation from the type of two palmars, such as 

 occurs in Bell's specimen and in one of those obtained by the 

 ' Challenger.' 



The rays of the latter are quite free laterally ; but those of 

 the largest specimen from Mergui are more closely in contact, 

 and the distichal joints sometimes exhibit a tendency to the 

 straight-edged and wall-sided character which is so marked in 

 many deep-sea Comatula?. This is much more distinct in the 

 Philippine variety of A. elegans, which I hope to describe shortly 

 together with the other Comatula) obtained by Professor Semper 

 in the same locality. 



All the Mergui specimens are much more darkly coloured tlian 

 those obtained by the ' Challenger' and 'Alert,' two of them being 

 almost black ; another is a dark reddish brown, mottled with 

 lighter patches ; and one has a more uniform lighter shade of the 

 sjinic colour. The youngest individual has its cirri coiled round 

 a Gorgoniid (JPlexaura) of the same dark reddish-brown colour 

 as itself; w Inle a Myzusloma infesting one of the two blacker 

 specimens is as darkly coloured as its host. 



AHTKDOB A nokkkoni, sp. n. (Plate XXVI. figs. 1-5; Plate 



XXVII fig. 8.) 



be 



Specific Formula, A. H. 2. 2. 2. 2. — . 



