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lost in the larger specimen, and ir may be supposed that the ter¬ 
minal plates are normally provided with such spines. 
Adambulacral plates (Fig. l.c) with 3 furrow spines, the middle 
one somewhat longer than the lateral ones. Outside these are 
generally two spines, the distal one conspicuously the larger, and 
at the abradial edge of the plate 2—3 siender spines. — The mouth 
plates (Fig. l.b) are covered with small spines, arranged in three 
indistinct rows; the distal and proximal spines are enlarged. The 
inner edge carries two strong, conical spines, which cover the 
mouth-opening. The marginal series somewhat longer than the 
superficial spines. — 3 small intermediate plates in each interbra- 
chial Space; in the smaller specimen in places only 2. Each carries 
a grouph of siender spinelets. 
Madreporic plate small, very close to the superomarginal edge. 
It carries at its inner edge a bundle of spinelets, which partly 
conceals it. 
Colour brownish, with an indication of a darker transverse band 
on the middle af the arms. 
The two specimens, which were presented me by Captain Bol- 
Ions, are dried and not in the very best condition. No doubt they 
are far from adult. Still it seems necessary to describe them as 
a new species of the group of the “pluriseriate” Astropectens. 
Evidently, this species belongs to the “pec///zafus”-group, and among 
the species of that group its relations appear to be the nearest 
with imbellis Sladen, from which it differs in the much narrower 
arms, the shape of the paxillæ, the oral and adambulacral armature. 
The differences are, however, small and not very important, and 
were it not that imbellis is known only from the Philippine seas, 
I would be inclined to think the New Zealand specimens to belong 
to that species. 
One of the specimens was sent to Dr. H. L. Clark during his 
recent visit to the British Museum and he kindly undertook to 
compare it with the type of Astropecten imbellis Sladen. He informs 
me that he finds it so very much alike Å. imbellis that he would 
rather be inclined to regard the differences as merely individual. 
Still, as both the type, and only specimen known, of A. imbellis 
and the New Zealand specimens are young, immature, it is very 
