ASTER1D4), OPHIUBIDJ:. 553 
through an orifice on each side of the basal portion of the arms. A 
shorter chapter is devoted to the “ topography ” or general arrangement 
of the various systems ; the 5th, “ physiology,” to the vital functions ; 
there are no special respiratory organs, and the function of the pedicel- 
lariee (by the adherence of which to the “ hempen tangles” the animal is 
easily caught) is chiefly the capture of food ; the regenerative faculty is 
great, and the tranquil abyssal life, at a depth of 200-800 fathoms, con- 
trasted with the abundant evidence of re-generation, suggests the hypo- 
thesis (hitherto not supported by other facts) that Brisinga throws off its 
arms voluntarily for propagating purposes ; and that the detached arms 
might have the faculty (as in some other starfishes) of re-generating the 
whole animal. The examination of some young and one very minute 
specimen made it possible to introduce some interesting observations 
(“ontogeny”) on the development of the ambulacral skeleton, the 
spines, pedicellariae, &c. The 7th chapter is devoted to the “ choro- 
logy,” viz., the horizontal and vertical distribution and special oc- 
currence of Brisinga. The concluding “remarks on homology and 
affinity (‘ philosophy discusses such suggestive topics as “ the scientific 
significance of the genus Brisinga, considered from the standpoint of 
the Darwinian theory ” ; “ the fundamental form of Echinoderms and 
their morphological individuality ; ” “ the phylogenetic relationship of the 
Echinoderms to other types, and the genealogical relation of the several 
groupie of Echinoderms to each other ; ” “ the relation of Brisinga to extinct 
starfishes,” &c. It is impossible here to reproduce the author’s ideas, more 
startling perhaps than original, founded upon the conceptions ihsii Brisinga 
is one of the oldest and less altered types of starfishes nearest allied to 
Protaster [?], that the Asteridoe themselves are the oldest, most primi- 
tive type of Echinoderms, and to be regarded as compound worm-like 
animals, &c. [This portion of the monograph is evidently the least 
satisfactory from a scientific point of view, though it contains interest- 
ing suggestions, e.g., as to the homology of pedicellariae in Echinidm and 
Asteridm.'] Finally, the characters of the Brisingidee, of the genus 
Brisinga, and of the two known species are given. Brisingee, after all, are 
true, not very anomalous, starfishes ; their analogy with the Ophiuridee is 
comparatively insignificant. Their nearest allies are Asterias, Solaster, 
and Pedicellaster \_Labidiaster, especially]. 
OPHIURIDiE. 
On the identity of Ophiura grubii. Hell., with Ophioglypha . affinis, 
Ltk., and the synonymy of Ophiothrix echinata and alopecurus, M. Tr..; 
Marenzeller (7). 
Lyman (4) enumerates 76 species of Ophiuridee collected during the 
“ Hassler ” expedition and by Dr. Stimpson in the American seas from 
the littoral zone to 424 fathoms ; 19 species and 2 genera are new. The 
new species and those described or figured are enumerated below. 
An analytical synopsis of the unbranched simple-armed Euryalidce (6 
genera), and another of the species of Astroschema (5 species, Astro- 
morpha being merged in Astroschema') are* given. A special plate 
