



PREFACE. 



This History of the British species of a much neglected 

 but beautiful and interesting class of animals originated 

 in an attempt to revise the characters of such Starfishes 

 as inhabit the Irish Sea, and to introduce the generic 

 arrangements proposed by Professor" Agassiz, which I 

 laid before the Wernerian Society, with the approbation 

 of its distinguished president, Professor Jameson, and 

 which was published in 1839 in the eighth volume of its 

 Transactions. Without the kind assistance of my brother 

 naturalists, the materials for the following pages could not, 

 however, have been gathered. To my friend Mr. John 

 Groodsir I am especially indebted for assistance and ad- 

 vice. From Mr. Thompson of Belfast a great portion of 

 my information has been derived ; and the materials which 

 he had been collecting for several years, in order to prepare 

 an account of the Irish species, were most liberally, and 

 without reserve, placed in my hands, as were, also, with 

 like kindness, Mr. Robert Ball's collections for an account 

 of the Echini dae. In Scotland 1 have derived most valu- 

 able aid from Professor Jameson, Dr. Johnston of Berwick, 



