ON THE CALCAREOUS DEPOSITS OP STICHOPUS JAPONTCUS. HB 



VII, fig. 3, cj, some of which bear a certain resemblance to buttons. 

 Selenka also described such bodies under the name of ' Hemmungs- 

 bildnngen'. " 



Theel had two other specimens each 220 mm. long which he 

 established into a new variety under the name of Stichopua japonicus, 

 var. typicus. In regard to the calcareous bodies of these specimens, he 

 found that they consisted of tables alone, but compa natively few of them 

 were fully developed, by far the greater part presenting themselves 

 under the shape of perforated discs with the margin very uneven or 

 spinous, and with no spire or a very poorly developed one. The rare 

 complete tables were smaller and larger, composed of a rounded per- 

 forated disc with smooth margin and a spire built up of mostly four 

 rods, with one or more transverse beams, and often terminating in four 

 longer or shorter teeth. There were also found tables with a spire com- 

 posed of only two rods. It is but just to ThÉel to mention that he 

 makes a distinct statement to the effect that, these specimens may 

 prove to be older and more developed forms of Stichopua japonicus than 

 those previously studied. 



Lampert in his " Die Seewalzen " says : " Stiel der Stühlchen bald 

 mit einer, bald mit zwei Querleisten, in letztem Falle oft mit seitlichen 

 Dornen besetzt ; die als durchbrochene Ringe erscheinenden Hem- 

 mungsbildungen sehr zahlreich. " He also says " einspitzige Stühlchen 

 wie Selenka eines abbildet, konnte ich eben so wenig wie v. Marenzel- 

 ler auffinden. " 



To make the matter still more intricate, the form which Selenka 

 (I. c.) described under the name of Holothuria aiutata and in which he 

 found only sparingly " durchbrochene Plättchen " besides the " End- 

 scheiben, " is considered by Theel to be probably nothing else than 

 Stichopus japonicus (Challenger Report, Vol. XIV, p. 196). 



From these citations, we are able to gather the fact that the calca- 

 reous deposits of Stichopus japonicus consist of only one kind, viz. 

 tables. But beyon d this, it is difficult to obtain any clear ideas. It is 

 most probable that these tables are present in the shape of simple per- 



