reef formed of soft sandstone fringes the shore, forming a comparatively level floor, a miniature “plain of marine denudation,” intersected by numerous narrow clefts, which are never free from water at the lowest tides. When I was a boy I have often observed great numbers of this species along the sides of these clefts, just below low-water mark, in rounded cavities which they had themselves hollowed out of the soft rock. Mr. E. Lukins, of the Port, Nelson, has kindly verified this observation for me recently. The Maoris collect large numbers, which they cook and use for food. Numerous broken and denuded tests may be found on the shores after storms. This species varies considerably in form, some specimens being much more depressed than others. Many are circular when viewed from above, while others are more or less pentagonal.

The range of this species is interesting and somewhat remarkable. It does not occur in Australia, where many of our Echinoderms have been found, but specimens were collected by the naturalists of the “Challenger” Expedition at the Fiji Islands. If this stood alone it would be simply one of those interesting facts which our present knowledge is inadequate to explain. When, however, we consider it in connection with the fact that a large number of our plants and animals, some of which are eminently characteristic of the New Zealand region, have representative forms in Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, and New Caledonia, the distribution of our sea-urchin assumes an important significance, reminding us of times long ago—probably early Pliocene—when the continent of which New Zealand of to-day is but a remnant extended far to the north and west. The southern branch of the south tropical current, which passes the Fiji Islands and sweeps down the eastern coast of Australia, was then deflected southwards by this northern extension of New Zealand, and facilitated the diffusion of Polynesian plants and animals to New Zealand.^*

E. chloroticus has been found fossil in Pliocene formations at Wanganui.

Although our species does not occur in Australia there is a very closely allied form found there, E. australe, described by the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods from specimens obtained near Port Jackson (Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vol. ii., p. 167, and Dr. Ramsay's Catalogue Ech. in the Aust. Mus., pp. 24, 53). It appears to be rare, and, unlike the New Zealand form, does

not live near low-water mark, and seems to have a very limited range.

The only other known species of this southern genus is E. rarituberculatus (Bell, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. xx., p. 403), the locality of which is not known. We may expect to find it in New Zealand, and collectors should look out for specimens. It may be easily overlooked, however, living specimens being doubtless very similar to small specimens of E. chloroticus.

I have a strangely-deformed test of E. chloroticus, which shows how even a sea-urchin is capable of adapting itself to new conditions. The upper part of the test was broken away when I picked it up on the beach. It had a strange irregular appearance, and when I counted the ambulacral and interam-bulacral areas I could only find four, instead of five, the usual number. On rubbing away the spines, however, I found that one of the poriferous zones only extends to the summit of a prominent excrescence on one side of the test about 12mm. from the actinosome; beyond this there is a shallow depression where the two interambulacral areas meet and form one broad, flattened zone. It had evidently been jammed among the rocks, and, being unable to grow in its regular rounded shape, had formed the above-described abnormal test.

Echinus magellanicus, Philippi.

This species ranges throughout the southern ocean and to the Philippine Islands, and in depth from 10 to 1,600 fathoms. It appears to be pretty generally distributed around the New Zealand coasts. I have taken specimens with the dredge in Wellington Harbour, from a rocky bottom, in about 10 fathoms of water. It has been found fossil in Pliocene formation at Shakespeare Cliff, Wanganui.

Echinocardium australe, Gray.

In the Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 2, vol. vii., 1851, p. 131, Dr. Gray described specimens of Echinocardium from Australia and specimens from New Zealand as two distinct species—E. australe and E. zealandicum—but Mr. Agassiz has united them under the name E. australe (“Revision of the Echini,” p. 109). No doubt the typical E. australe does occur here (Professor Hutton mentions a large specimen from Chalky Inlet, Trans. N. Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 307), but the form which is exceedingly abundant in Wellington Harbour appears to be at least a well-marked variety, and when a good series of both forms have been carefully compared it is not improbable that they may be found to be distinct species. I have taken many specimens with the dredge in Wellington Harbour—in fact, the dredge never comes up from a muddy

bottom without a dozen or more in it, and fishermen often bring them on shore in their nets. The only specimen of E. australe from elsewhere with which I have been able to compare my specimens is one in the Colonial Museum from Port Jackson, from which they differ considerably in size and shape. My largest specimens hardly exceed half the size of that from Australia. They are all relatively broader except very young individuals, and far more depressed anteriorly. This last difference is very striking and distinct. A comparison of good series of specimens and the results of a detailed examination of the minute structure of both forms is very much needed.

Arachnoides placenta, Linnæus.

This cake urchin is one of our commonest Echinoderms. It may be found at low water on sandy beaches and on mud-flats in the harbours. Although in Australia it only occurs within the tropics^* (north of Wide Bay), in New Zealand it extends as far south as Dunedin—46° south lat. It is the only Clypeastid known certainly to inhabit the New Zealand seas, for, although Peronella rostrata has been said to occur here, there is a want of evidence of the occurrence. If the specimen of A. placenta in the Australian Museum from California was found there this species has a very interesting distribution, and will probably be found in many other parts of the Pacific. It has been found fossil in Pliocene formations at Wanganui, Castle Point, and Awamoa.

Ophionereis schayeri, Müller and Troschel.

The diameter of the disc is about 20mm., and the length of an arm about six times the diameter of the disc. The arms increase in width from the disc outwards for a short distance, the greatest width without the spines being about 3mm.; beyond this they remain about the same width, or taper very little, to a third of their length, and thence taper evenly to a fine extremity. The disc is rather tumid, circular with a wavy margin, covered above and below with exceedingly small imbricating scales, which are larger on the margin of the disc, especially near the radial shields. The radial shields are very small, irregularly ovate, and distant. The mouth papillæ are usually eight to each angle; they are short, stout, blunt, and close-set, the two at the apex being smaller than the others. The teeth are five in number on each angle, bluntly pointed, vertically compressed, with glassy tips, except the lowermost, which is rounded and smaller than the rest. The mouth-shields are large, and rudely ovate or shield-shaped, and the

side mouth-shields small, curving round the mouth-shield, and narrow within, where they do not meet. The under arm-plates are squarish, with slightly re-entering curves on the outer side and laterals. The side arm-plates are small, and widely separated above and below. The upper arm-plates are about twice as broad as long, broader within than without, having a rounded edge within and a re-entering curve without; they are sometimes split in two. The supplementary plates are rather large, broader without than within, and sometimes in several pieces. The arm-spines are four in number on the side arm-plates near the disc, and usually three on the plates of the outer part of the arm; they are stout, blunt, slightly tapering, and laterally compressed. There is one large roundly-oval tentacle-scale to each pore. The colour is purplish-black or grey, the rays being usually banded and the disc variegated or splashed with light-grey or yellowish-white.

In the Proc. Zool. Soc., 1872, p. 811, and Cat. Ech. of N.Z., p. 2., Professor Hutton briefly described this species under the name Ophionereis fasciata. Mr. Lyman, when revising the group for the “Challenger” Report, doubtfully placed O. fasciata as a synonym of the Australian species, O. schayeri. Through the kindness of Mr. Etheridge, of the Australian Museum, I have been able to compare specimens of O. schayeri, from Australia, with New Zealand specimens, and I find that they are certainly identical.

This is by far the commonest Ophiuroid found near Wellington, and probably the commonest of all the New Zealand forms. It is exceedingly abundant under stones in rock-pools between tide-marks, and just below low-water mark. Its colour is apparently protective, corresponding almost exactly with that of the stones and sand among which it lives.

Ophiopeza cylindrica, Hutton.

Professor Hutton briefly described this species under the name of Ophiura cylindrica (Cat. Ech. of N.Z., p. 3, 1872). Mr. Lyman, in his monograph, “Challenger” Report, vol. v., p. 15, has made O. cylindrica a synonym of Pectinura rigida, Lyman. In the original description of P. rigida (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Harvard, vol. iii., p. 224) it is said to have been found at Zanzibar, but in the “Challenger” Report the locality given is Fiji. A comparison of the two descriptions, and the localities—Zanzibar, Fiji, New Zealand—seemed to indicate that there was an error somewhere. I have therefore compared Mr. Lyman's description of P. rigida with the type specimens of O. cylindrica which are in the Colonial Museum, Wellington, and I find they are quite distinct from

Mr. Lyman's species: in fact, they belong to a different genus,—Ophiopeza,—being without supplementary mouth-shields, and having but two genital openings to each inter-brachial space. I have collected a number of specimens belonging to this genus near Wellington, among seaweeds on the rocks, a little below low-water mark. These I at first mistook for specimens of a new species, but I find by comparing them with the type specimens of O. cylindrica that they are small individuals of that form.

Ophiothrix cœrulea, Hutton.

This species was described by Professor Hutton from specimens in the Colonial Museum. He subsequently found, however, that they had been brought with a number of other natural-history specimens from Fiji. This species must therefore be omitted from our list.

Ophiomyxa australis, Lütken.

This species is not uncommon on the rocky parts of the coast near Wellington, in shallow water, among the roots of Laminarians. There are also two specimens in the Colonial Museum from Dunedin. It has been collected by Mr. H. B. Kirk at Stewart Island.

Asterina regularis, Verrill.

This cushion-star is the commonest New Zealand Asteroid. It is abundant on all the rocky parts of the coast near low-water mark, and numerous in rock-pools, and on piles and sea-walls in the harbours. This species varies much in colour, form, and size. Greenish-grey varieties are perhaps the commonest, although yellow, orange, purple, and dull-green variegated with yellow are also abundant; dark-purple and many shades of blue frequently occur. In some specimens the five rays are more prominent than in others. I found two specimens at Ohiro Bay with six rays each, and one of them had two madreporiform plates. It also occurs on the east coast of Australia, but appears to be rare there, the common form being an allied species (A. gunnii).

Stegnaster inflatus, Hutton.

This appears to be rather a rare species. I have found one specimen at Ohiro Bay, attached to the underside of a stone in a rock-pool. It is smaller than the type in the Colonial Museum; it is, however, brilliantly coloured and handsomely marked, being rich orange above spotted with deep dull-red and dark-grey, and white variegated with reddish-orange beneath. There is a specimen in the Canter-

bury Museum from Wellington, and one from Nelson in the Otago Museum. Mr. H. B. Kirk informs me that he has occasionally seen specimens on the coast near Wellington at low water, and I have seen a fine specimen collected by Mr. A. Haylock at Lyall Bay, the abactinal surface of which is dull reddish-purple variegated with white and a few spots of deep madder-brown, and white variegated with purplish-grey beneath.

Astrogonium pulchellum, Gray.

This fine species is not common in New Zealand waters. It appears to frequent sheltered bays and harbours, on a stony or sandy bottom. I have received a very fine specimen from Mr. Cecil Howard, of Christchurch, which was brought on shore in a fisherman's net at the Bluff. It measures 54mm. from the centre of the disc to the tips of the rays. I have also a specimen from the Wellington Harbour of what Professor Hutton has called “variety B” (Cat. Ech. of N.Z., p. 8), which is much smaller than typical specimens of A. pulchellum. The most striking differences, however, are in the apical plates. These are very little swollen, although longer than the other marginal plates. In typical specimens of this species the apical plates are much swollen, forming the most striking character of the species, and I have seen young specimens about the same size as specimens of the variety, with these plates very prominent, contrasting strongly with the same plates of the variety. Outside of these plates in the variety there are three other rather small but distinct and fairly well developed plates—two broad ones below, and a smaller one, which is very prominent, above. Typical specimens usually have one or two supplementary plates outside the large swollen apical plates, but these are always quite, rudimentary. These differences are so well marked that when good series of both forms are obtained and compared it may be necessary to separate them and establish a new species for the smaller form.

Asterias (Strolasterias) calamaria, Gray.

This widely ranging species is exceedingly abundant in Wellington Harbour. It may be found on rocks and stones from low-water mark to 10 or 12 fathoms. When I first began to observe this starfish I came to the conclusion that two species had been grouped under one name, for I found that blue specimens and specimens marbled with blue may be obtained from deep water, but rarely, if ever, from near low-water mark; while brown, yellowish – brown sometimes marbled with reddish – brown, and grey specimens may be

found in abundance just below low-water mark. I also examined a great number of specimens brought on shore in fishermen's nets, but only on one occasion did I find a blue one among them. This difference in colour may be due to difference of sex. Professor Agassiz observed that the males and females of the common American starfishes—Asterias vulgaris (Asteracanthion pallidus, Ag.), and Asterias forbesii (Asteracanthion berylinus, Ag.)—can be distinguished by their different colour—“all those having a bluish tint being invariably females, a reddish or reddish-brown colour indicating a male”—and we may find that the same obtains in our species.^* This appears, also to explain the fact that I have never found any young specimens, the smallest being nearly half-grown individuals brought on shore by fishermen. If the young are sufficiently developed when born to attach themselves, as is the case with some southern forms, they probably remain with the females in deep water till they are well grown. During the summer I found plenty of large brown and grey specimens just below low-water mark, but in the winter they had retired to deeper water, out of the reach of the winter storms, and after a careful search I only found a single large specimen: this was, however, a specially interesting one. The spines on the abactinal surface, instead of being isolated, rather long, and pointed, are short, thick, and clavate, and arranged in clusters and irregular lines like the spines of a Stichaster. Dr. Lütken suggests that division may take place in this species (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. xii., p. 329), but I do not think it is so. Some of the rays get broken off, and are restored, but this is common to many species, and is merely the result of accident. There are usually eleven rays, though ten-rayed forms are not uncommon, and occasionally specimens having a greater or less number of rays may be met with. Recently I examined thirty-one specimens which had been left on the beach by a fisherman, where he had drawn his net on shore, and I found that twenty-six of them had eleven rays each, and the other five had ten rays each. A specimen which I had drying gave out white phosphorescent light where one of the rays had been broken.

Asterias (Strolasterias) scabra, Hutton. Plate XIII., figs. 3 and 4.

This fine species is the largest of all the New Zealand starfishes, except, perhaps, a large, yellowish Echinaster, apparently undescribed, numbers of which may be sometimes found at low water on the rocks at Lyall Bay and Island Bay in December and January. This is, perhaps, the species mentioned by Professor Hutton in the Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 306; but, although it attains a very large size, it is not nearly such a handsome starfish as Asterias scabra. Specimens of A. scabra measuring 18in. between the tips of the rays are frequently met with, and I have heard that much larger ones have been found. This species also belongs to Mr. Sladen's sub-genus Strolasterias, having isolated spines on the abactinal surface, surrounded by thick, raised wreaths of pedicellariae. The rays are long and well rounded above, with five longitudinal series of abactinal spines. These are often obsolete, especially on the apical part of the rays. The thick tubercle-like bunches of pedicellariae, however, are always present, arranged in regular, longitudinal rows. The thick skin which covers the abactinal and lateral plates also covers the basal half of the exterior spine of the three which form an oblique line on the marginal plates, with a bunch of pedicellariae on the superior side of the spine. The most striking characteristic, however, of this species is the colour of the large tube-feet, which are bright vermilion, with yellow terminal discs. The colour of the abactinal surface is greenish-or bluish-grey, brown, or purple, frequently variegated with reddish-brown. The madreporite is large and white. Large forcipiform pedicellariae on short, fleshy stalks are numerous on the abactinal surface, scattered between the spines, and a few of the same kind on longer stalks in the ambulacral furrows. The number of rays is almost always seven; I have, however, seen one specimen with eight. Unlike its congener, A. calamaria, it does not frequent the harbour, but loves to be in the wash of the waves, where they break on the exposed, rocky parts of the coast.

The pedicellariae of this species figured on Pl. XIII. are from drawings by my friend Mr. H. B. Kirk. Fig. 3 represents the small, forficiform pedicellariae, which form bushy wreaths round the spines; and fig. 4 represents the large kind, which are scattered on the abactinal surface.

Stichaster australis, Verrill.

This species may be frequently found at low water, on the rocky coast near Wellington. One must search very carefully, however, to obtain specimens, as they hide away in the crevices of the rocks, and they are of a dark-grey colour.

They attach themselves so strongly by their numerous tubefeet that some of the rays of a specimen, although they are very stout, may be torn off in attempts to detach it from the rock. I have found a paper-knife useful in detaching specimens of this and other species without injuring them.

Stichaster insignis, sp. n. Plate XIII., fig. 1.

Rays 6, rarely 5 or 7. R = 52mm.; r = 5mm. to 7mm. Breadth of a ray near the base, 10mm. to 12mm.

The disc is small, flat or slightly tumid, and usually ovate in form. The rays are elongate, cylindrical, tapering, and laterally constricted at the junction with the disc. The madreporiform plates, which are numerous—usually four in number—are small, and surrounded by a wreath of spinelets. The plates on the rays are arranged in regular longitudinal series. They consist of a median series of large, broad rudely quadrangular plates, succeeded on either side by three (in small specimens two) series of small plates, and a series of large, very broad lateral plates, broader than those of the median series. Between the lateral plates and the adambulacral plates there are two series of actinal intermediate plates, those adjacent to the lateral plates being much larger and broader than those adjacent to the adambulacral plates. The armature of the abactinal and lateral plates consists of short, stout, slightly clavate, subequal spinelets, with granular summits. On the plates of the median series there is an angulated line of spinelets, frequently with two or three spinelets within the angle. The small plates between the median and lateral series bear each a line or group of two or three spinelets. On the lateral plates there is a line or group of three or four spinelets on the abactinal (superior) part of each plate; then follows a bare region succeeded by one or two spinelets on the actinal (inferior) margin of the plate. The spinelets on the actinal intermediate plates are far larger and stouter than those on the abactinal and lateral plates. There are three forming an oblique line on the plates of the outer series, and one on the small plates adjacent to the adambulacral plates. All the plates are covered with rather thick skin, on which there are numerous, small, scattered, isolated, sessile, forcipiform pedicellariae. The adambulacral plates carry two rather short, obtuse, cylindrical, divergent spines, the inner one being slightly stouter than the other. The ambulacral tube-feet are arranged in four crowded rows. The colour varies from very pale salmon-pink to deep vermilion.

Hab. On rocks from low-water mark to 10 or 12 fathoms. Wellington Harbour, and Taylor's Mistake (Te Onepoto) near Lyttelton. Type specimens are in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.

When a good series of this species—such as I have figured on Plates X., XI., and XII.—is carefully examined the most remarkable and peculiarly-interesting feature is seen to be, not so much the irregularity of the rays—which is, however, sufficiently striking—but, if I may use the expression, the regularity of the irregularity. A large number of specimens, especially the smaller ones, are seen to have the three adjacent rays on one side of the disc smaller and less developed than those on the other side, and the part of the disc to which the group of smaller rays is attached is less developed than the other part, and separated from it by a distinct depression, showing clearly that the specimens have undergone transverse division. The normal fully-grown forms have each six rays, four madreporiform plates, an elliptical disc, and a sulcus running across the narrower part of the disc. I have figured on Plates X., XI., and XII. the whole series collected by me during the summer of 1893–94, and, although a little dredging in deep water would perhaps produce some larger specimens, I have no doubt that they are fairly representative of the species. The madreporiform plates of each specimen are shown, and the sulcus, which marks the place of division, is indicated by a broken line. The figures are reduced to half the natural size. Of the sixty-seven specimens figured, fifty-five have six rays each; fifty-three of these show clearly that they have suffered division by the arrangement of the rays in two groups, the position of the madreporiform plates, and the sulcus across the disc. Of the rest, four specimens—Pl. X., figs. 5, 10, 23, and 28—have seven rays each. These are evidently abnormal forms, which have either divided unequally (figs. 10 and 28), or four rays have grown in the place of three (figs. 3; and 22). Four specimens—Pl. X., figs. 17 and 31; Pl. XI., fig. 3; and Pl. XI, fig. 7—have only five rays each, one of which—Pl. XI., fig. 3—was probably always a five-rayed individual, and shows no sign of division; but the other three show clearly that they have undergone division: they were probably sixrayed forms when young, but after division only two rays were developed in the place of the three. Only one specimen of the whole series, which is a five-rayed individual, has a madreporiform plate adjacent to the sulcus which marks the place of division (Pl. XII., fig. 7), but evidently the sixth ray, had it been developed, would have intervened here. Three specimens.—Pl. X., fig. 25, and Pl. XII., figs. 13 and 14—have only three rays each. These had evidently divided shortly before they were collected, and the other rays had not begun to grow. Two of these—Pl. XII., figs. 13 and 14—are especially interesting. I found them close together. The rays of both are equally developed, and are the same size, shape, and depth of colour. They are, I have no doubt, the parts of a six-rayed

individual which had divided probably but a few hours before. I found them. The wounds had not cicatrized, and the unsupported edges of the half-discs had not curved downwards, as they always do soon after division takes place. This curving downwards of the unsupported margin forms the sulcus, which is not obliterated even when the regenerated parts of the disc and rays are fully developed. There are only three of the whole series which do not show clearly that they have suffered division (Pl. XI., figs. 1, 2, and 3). Fig. 32, Pl. X., is the smallest specimen of the series, and the only one not collected by me in the Wellington Harbour. It was found by Mr. Cecil Howard at Taylor's Mistake (Te Onepoto), near Lyttelton, and shows that division sometimes takes place in very young individuals. The small specimens figured on the upper part of Pl. X. were collected at low water in the early spring, when no large ones were to be found; later on during the summer I collected the larger specimens figured on the lower part of Pl. X, and those figured on Pl. XI., and in the autumn I obtained the largest specimens only, which are figured on Pl. XII. The following winter I again searched for specimens at Point Jerningham (Omarukaikuru), and High-water Islet, in Evans Bay, where I had found them in abundance during the summer, but, after a long and careful search, I only found a few young specimens under stones. Three of these, however, are especially interesting and peculiar forms (Pl. XII., figs. 12, 13, and 14). Only one specimen was obtained from deep water—Pl. XII. fig. 6—which I dredged up from about 12 fathoms, in the spring-time, when only small ones could be found at low water.

This species is evidently the southern representative of the North Atlantic form, Stichaster albulus (Asterias problema), in which division also takes place. In a most interesting and instructive paper, published in the Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. xii, p. 323, Dr. Lütken has shown that natural division is characteristic of a number of Echinoderms. Hisstatements, however, appear to have been received with a good deal of doubt by naturalists generally. A careful examination of the series of specimens figured with this paper would, I have no doubt, convince the most incredulous that a natural spontaneous division does take place here, which is probably repeated several times, perhaps periodically, during the life of each individual. Professor Jeffrey Bell has described an exceedingly interesting asterid from Macclesfield Bank, Patiria briareus (Proc. Zool. Soc., 1894, p. 404), of which division is probably a characteristic. Five of the six specimens collected have each a group of short rays on one side of the disc and a group of longer ones on the other side. Thus Dr. Lütken's observations are confirmed.

Stichaster littoralis, sp. n. Plate XIII., fig. 2.

Rays 5. R = 32mm.; r = 12mm. Breadth of a ray near the base, 12mm.

Form stellate. Rays short, thick, rigid, broad at the base and tapering evenly to a rounded blunt extremity; dorsal surface rounded, with a well-defined, acute margin; ventral surface flat. The disc is slightly convex, with ten large primary apical plates, forming a circle round the centre of the disc, and a few smaller plates within them. The madreporiform plate is situated nearer the centre than the edge of the disc. It is small, and surrounded by an irregular wreath of spinelets. The plates on the rays form regular longitudinal series. They consist of a dorsal median series of large, broad, rounded, laterally peaked plates, with two series of small intermediate plates on either side; these are succeeded by a series of very large, broad, lateral plates. Then follows a series of marginal plates somewhat smaller than those of the median series, and sometimes a series of exceedingly small intermediate plates. The abactinal and lateral plates are armed with very short, robust, clavate, subequal spinelets, with rounded, granular summits. On the plates of the median series there is an irregular curved or angular line of spinelets, sometimes double, and sometimes with one or two spinelets within the angle. The plates of the two abactinal intermediate series bear each one spinelet (rarely two). On the lateral series of large, broad plates there is usually but one spinelet on the dorsal (superior) margin of each plate, and sometimes on the apical part of the ray there are two small spinelets on each plate, one above and the other below. The marginal plates bear one or two (usually two) short, stout, blunt, clavate spinelets, longer than those on the abactinal plates, forming an oblique line on the margin of the ray. The abactinal and lateral plates are covered with thick skin, on which are situated very small, scattered, sessile, forcipiform pedicellariae, which are slightly larger and more numerous on the actinal side of the marginal plates and on the adambulacral plates. The papular areas are in regular longitudinal series, between the angles of the plates, with from 7 to 18 papulae in each. The adambulacral plates are small, and so crowded that the spines are crushed into two rows, though the plates bear but one spine each. The spines are short and cylindrical. The ambulacral furrows are broad, and the tube-feet arranged in four rows. The dorsal surface is dark-brownish, or bluishgrey, with white or yellowish spinelets; and the ventral surface white or pale-yellow. Spirit specimens are light-brown.

I received a fine series of twenty-one specimens of this species from Mr. Cecil Howard, of Christchurch. They were

collected by him at Taylor's Mistake (Te Onepoto), a small, open bay near Lyttelton, where they are not by any means uncommon. They are not easily found, however, but need to be carefully searched for at low water, as they hide themselves away between large boulders, or in the crevices and under the projecting ledges of rock, and their colour corresponds well with the dark-grey rock on which they live. Collected by Mr. H. B. Kirk at Stewart Island.

Type specimens are in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.

Tarsaster neozelanicus, sp. n. Plate XII., figs. 15–23.

Rays 8, sometimes 7. R = 36mm.; r = 5mm. Breadth of a ray near the base, 4mm. or 5mm.

Disc small, usually ovate, rather convex. Rays narrow, elongate, well rounded above, almost cylindrical, tapering very gradually from the base to the extremity. Interbrachial arcs acute. Madreporiform plates very small, usually numerous—3 or 4—situated nearer the edge of the disc than the centre, surrounded by a wreath of spinelets. The plates on the rays consist of a dorsal median series of rather large plates, followed on either side by a series of intermediate plates about the same size as those of the median series; there are sometimes two series of intermediate plates on the basal part of the ray. These are succeeded by a series of very large, broad, lateral plates. Between these lateral plates and the adambulacral plates there is a single series of rather large marginal plates, and sometimes a series of very small intermediate plates, on the basal part of the ray, between the marginal plates and the adambulacral plates. The armature of the abactinal and lateral plates consists of exceedingly small, short, obtuse, subequal spinelets with granular summits. On the plates of the median series there is either an irregular group or an acutely angular line of from 3 to 8 spinelets, usually with a larger one situated in the middle. On the intermediate plates there is a group of 2 or 3 spinelets. On the large lateral plates there is a group or an oblique line of 3 or 4 spinelets on the abactinal part of each plate and one or two spinelets on the actinal margin. The plates of the marginal series are armed with 2 or 3 rather long, blunt, cylindrical or slightly oar-shaped spinelets, which form an oblique line. The adambulacral plates bear two blunt, cylindrical spinelets, which form two regular divergent rows along the edge of the ambulacral furrow. There is usually but one large papula (sometimes a large one and a small one) to each papular area; the pores are large, arranged in regular longitudinal rows. The pedicellariae on the abactinal and lateral surfaces are very numerous, scattered, rather large, sessile,