284 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



them, at the points where they are opposed to each other, 

 form an oblong aperture to each ray; there are therefore 

 five of them. The upper surface of this species also differs 

 from the other varieties : and nothing but a similar verte- 

 bra to the one just mentioned is to be observed ; only that 

 those of the under surface turn a little round the side and 

 then become jagged. Respecting the other exterior points 

 they are all beset with an infinite number of hairy pilli 

 thickset and erected, like the surface of coarse plush. Every 

 one of these erected points is supposed to be a new animal 

 growing out of the old. 



One of this species of Asterias came up with the lines 

 which were hauled aboard when we lost the whale of the 

 seventh of July 1824, in lat. 79° 37' N.* It was of a brownish 

 red colour, and about three inches and a half in diameter. 



SPECIES V. 



ASTERIAS PECTINATA. 



This was likewise taken by Captain Phipps in a trawl, on 

 the northern side of the coast of Spitzbergen. 



CLASS— ZOOPHYTA. 



SPECIES. 



SYNOICUM TURGENS.— PHIPPS. 

 This species of animal flower was captured in a trawl on 

 the north side of Spitzbergen, by Captain Phipps, who con- 

 sidered it as new to zoologists, and totally different from the 

 Zoophytes hitherto known and described, so that he deemed 

 it a distinct genus. He was of opinion that naturalists should 

 place it next to the Alcyonium, with which it in some 

 particulars agree, but differ from it materially in having 

 the openings for the animals only at the top, and the ani- 



* Vidp, page 60. 



