'38 (Bulletin of the Jhaturcil History Society. 
ful search will usually show in the latter case the budding rudiments 
of the missing ones, which will soon grow to replace those which have 
been lost. 
This very common species has unfortunately no economic value of 
any importance. The lime in its skeleton gives it sometimes a very 
limited value as a fertilizer. It is very injurious to oyster beds. 
Its development is similar to that of A. Forhesii ; there is a compli- 
cated metamorphosis, the larva (Brachiolaria) being free-swimming and 
■bilaterally symmetrical. 
j-Asterias Forbesii, Vekrill, Astracanthion herylinus, 
Lag. (K). [See Plate, Fig. 4J. 
Descriptioji. (K) p. 108, (L) p. 345, (S) p. 418, (T) p. 94. 
Figure. (K) p. 110, (T) pi. IX. 
Distribution, (a) General ; — Littoral to twenty fathoms. 
•Casco Bay, Maine, to the Gulf of Mexico. 
(b) In N. B. waters ; — Not yet reported: [Verrill in 1866, 
(L), said : — Eastport, Me., and Grand Manan, it is very 
rare,” but later he corrects this, (Q), “not known from the 
eastern part of the coast of Maine, nor in the Bay of Fundy.” 
It is inserted here on account of the possibility of its occur- 
ring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and to call attention to the 
necessity for a search being made for it there.] 
In general, this species is very like v^dgaris. The chief distinguish- 
ing characters are to be found, aecording to Prof. Verrill, (S), in the 
color, and form of the pedicellarke and of the adambulacral spines. As 
to the color, '‘A. Forhesii generally greenish, varying to orange and 
brown, with a bright orange madreporic plate ; while A. vidgaris is 
usually reddish, purplish, or violet, varying to yellow and brown, but 
with a pale buff or cream-colored madreporic plate.” 
As to the Other eharacters. Prof. Verrill says ; — “ In .4. Forhesii the 
major pedicellarije L'. e. the larger sessile pedicellarite borne over the 
surface or on the ventral spines] are short, ovate, blunt-pointed, hardly 
longer than broad ; the adambulacral spines are stout, obtuse and in 
most cases, many are more or less flattened and grooved externally 
at tip.” 
“InJ.. vulgaris, the major pedieellarkT are lanceolate, sharp-pointed, 
much longer than broad ; the adambulacral spines are larger, more 
pointed and seldom flattened.” 
The characters, however, of most use to our collectors will doubtless 
be found to be, the greenish color of the animal and (particularly) the 
bright orange color of the madreporic plate. 
