330 THE ASTEROIDEA OF THE MEKGUI ARCHIPELAGO. 



the series adjacent to the adambulacral plates are slightly larger 

 than any of the others ; and all the intermediate plates bear com- 

 pact tufts of numerous microscopic conical and sliarply pointed 

 spinelets. 



The madreporiform body is rather large, and is situated nearer 

 the centre of the disk than midway between that point and the 

 margin. Its surface, which is somewhat undulating, is marked 

 with wide and much convoluted striations. Several prominent 

 small plates surround the margin. 



Colour in alcohol, a dirty ashy grey, with a slightly brownish 

 shade. 



Remarks. This species in some respects occupies an inter- 

 mediate position between Nepantliia maculata, Gray, and Ne- 

 pantliia brevis, Perrier ; but it differs from both of these by its 

 general facies, by the different character of the lateral series of 

 plates along the ray, by the small, truly crescentiform plates of the 

 median abactinal area, and by the character of the armature of 

 the adambulacral plates. 



Genus Asterina, Nardo. 



1. A sterina cepueus {Midler Sf Troschel), v. Martens. 

 Asteriscus cepheus, Valenciennes, MS. 



Asterina Burtonii, Gray, 1840, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. vi. 

 p. 289. 



Asteriscus cepheus, Muller Troschel, 1842, System der AsteHden, 

 p. 41. 



Asterina cepheus, v. Martens, 18GG, Archiv f. Naturgescli. Jahrg. xxxii. 

 Bd. i. p. 85. 



Localities. King Island (native name Padaiv) ; Feb. 1882. 

 Sir William James Island ; 7th Dec. 1881. 



Remarks. The examples of this species collected in the 

 Mergui Archipelago are rather more discoid than usual, the 

 interbrachial .'ires beingless incurved than usual; the spinulation 

 alio is much more delicate and cilia-like. The differences, hovv- 

 ever, do no! appear to me to he sufficient to warrant their recog- 

 nition by name ; and a good series of examples is desirable before 

 fcbey call be ranked as a variety with any degree of certainty. 



