360 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



CURIOSITIES OF STAR-FISH LIFE.* 



By FEEDEEIK A. FEENALD. 



FOR a dozen years past, the eminent English zoologist, who has 

 become so widely known as an investigator of animal intelli- 



Fig. 1. Upper Surface of a Star-fish {Astropecteri). (From CaBselTs "Natural History.") 



gence, has spent his summers at the sea-side, studying several common 

 forms of marine life. He compares a season's work of this kind 



to a prolonged picnic, the pleasure of 

 which is accompanied by a sense that 

 no time is being profitlessly spent. Sail- 

 ing about upon the sunny sea to dip 

 up in muslin nets the creatures at the 

 surface, steaming away far from shore 

 to dredge for other material, and carry- 

 ing on observations among the tanks and 

 bell-jars of a neat little airy workshop, 

 all have their charms. Even the neces- 

 sity of devising makeshift apparatus, and 

 of teaching unskilled hands how to help, 

 adds to the enjoyment, as does the over- 

 coming of similar obstacles in a pleasure- 

 excursion. Dr. Romanes has devoted his 

 attention mainly to jelly-fish, star-fish, 



Fig. 2. PedicellarijB (magnified). 

 (From Cassell's " Natural History.") 



* The material and illustrations of this article are drawn from " Jelly-fish, Star-fish and 

 Sea-urchins," by Dr. G. J. Romanes, the latest issue in the International Scientific Series. 



