269 
Colville Channel, 35 fms. Sandy mud. 21/XII. 1914. Several, mostly young 
specimens. 
Linie Barder Isl., 30 fms. Shells. 29/XIL 1914. 3 large specimens. 
Moko Hinau, Hauraki Gulf; 5 fms. Coarse sand, gravel. 30/XII. 1914. 
2 specimens. 
Off Albatross Point, 25 fms. Sand. ll/I. 1915. 1 large specimen. 
Further one specimen received from Professor Ben ham, from off Cape 
Campbell, 30 fms. 
This characteristic species appears to occur all round the North 
Island of New Zealand, while there is as yet no records of its 
occurrence off the South Island, the locality off Cape Campbell 
being the southernmost one on record till now. 
1 do not see how to distinguish the New Zealand specimens 
from those of other Pacific localities (Port Jackson, Misaki etc.). 
IhQ Åstropecten Edwardsi of Verri 11, accepted byDoderlein as 
a separate New Zealand variety of Å. polyciccinthiis, I must, there- 
fore, regard simply as a synonym of the latter. To make Å. Edwardsi 
a separate species, besides A. polyacanthus, as is done in the 
“Index faunae Novae-Zelandiae” is wholly out of Question, the des- 
cription given by Verril I shows beyond doubt that his specimen 
was of the polyacanthiis-typQ, and as the available, fairly rich 
material of polyacanthus from New Zealand seas does not support 
the view that these specimens make a special, recognizable variety 
of the species, the conclusion is inevitable that A. Edvardsi is 
simply a synonym of A. polyacanthus. 
The larger specimens generally have a characteristic coloration; 
the disk is dark, the arms brownish, this latter lighter colour con- 
tinuing in a narrow stripe inwards over the disk, sometimes to the 
centre. There is thus formed a conspicuous, dark starshaped figure on 
the disk, strongly contrasting against the lighter colour of the arms. 
There may also be a, more or less distinet, dark band across the arms. 
2. Astvopecten dubiosus n. sp. 
PI. XII. Figs. 3—4. 
Off North Cape, 40 fms. 2 specimens. (Capt. Bol Ion s). 
R—28 mm; r—6 mm; R = 4.7 r; breadth of ray at base 7 mm. Number 
of superomarginals 22—23. 
R-18 mm; r—5 mm; R = 3.6 r; 
of superomarginals 17. 
5 mm. 
