196 NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN 



This is essentially a deep-sea genus. The species seldom occur 

 in less than 300 fathoms, but are often abundant at greater 

 depths. Some occur in 1,500 to 2,000 fathoms. 



Plutonaster intermedius Perrier. 



Goniopecten intermedius Perrier, op. cit., p. 25, 1881; op. cit., p. 251, pi. 



vii, figs. 1, 2, pi. iv, fig. 4, 1884. 

 Plutonaster intermedius Perrier, Exped. Trav. et Talisman, p. 316, 1894 



(redescribed). 



Perrier (1884, p. 252) mentions several very young specimens 

 that he thinks belong to this species, as coming from 70, 103, 120, 

 and 213 fathoms, in the Lesser Antilles. They were from 8 to 

 25mm diameter. Specimens so small as that, in this genus, 

 can seldom be identified with any certainty, unless older ones 

 come from the same locality, to form a series. 



Adults of this species occurred in 833 to 955 fathoms and deep- 

 er. Therefore I doubt the identification of these young ones. 

 The description is brief. 



I did not see them when I examined the Blake collection. 

 They are entered here, for want of a better place, until they can 

 be studied more fully. 



It should also be remembered that a large part of the Blake 

 starfishes (as well as those of the Albatross) were taken by 

 tangles, and that it is not an uncommon thing for small star- 

 fishes and other organisms to be overlooked and thus left on the 

 tangles to come up again, with a subsequent haul, perhaps from 

 a very different depth. Thus there may well be doubt of some 

 unusual records of single small specimens of such objects. I 

 write this from personal experience of 20 seasons in dredging. 



Family GoniopectiniD/E Yerrill, 1899, p. 213. 



Stellate with elongated rays. . The marginal, adambulacral and 

 actinal plates are bordered with peculiar pectinate spinules 

 united by a web, thus forming specialized, continuous f ascioles. 



Dorsal plates are paxilliform or columnar and covered with 

 small spinules. They are arranged in oblique transverse rows on 

 the rays. 



Marginal plates large, regularly paired, the sutures correspond- 

 ing above and below ; sometimes they are spiuose. There may be 



