C'RINOIPE.E. 



Asterias bifida and A. decacnemos, Pennant, Brit. Zool. IV. pp. 05, (>G, No. 70, 



71, tab. xxxiii. f. 71. 

 Asterias peciinata, Adams, Lin. Trans. V. 10. 



Comatula Mediterranean Lam. 1 Edit. II. p. 535. 2 Edit. III. p. 



210. Sars, Besk. og Jagt. p. 40, pi. viii. 



fig. 19. 

 Comatula rosacea, Fleming, Brit. An. p. 490. Blainv. Man. 



d'Actin. p. 248. Forbes, Wern. Mem. 



VIII. p. 128. 

 Comatula barbata, Fleming, Brit. An. p. 490. 



Comatula fimbriata, Miller, Crinoideae, p. 132, pi. i. 



Alecto Europcea, Leach, Zool. Misc. II. p. 62. 



Junr. Pentacrinus Europceus, Thompson, Mem. on. Pentac. Eur. t. i. and ii. 



Edin. Phil. Joum. vol. xx. p. 35, pi. ii. 



Fleming, Brit. Anim. p. 490. Buckland's 



Bridg. Tr. pi. lii. f. 2. 

 Phytocrinm Europceus, Blainv. Man. d'Actin. p. 255, pi. xxvii. 



f. 1—8. 



After what I have said of the former importance of the 

 Crinoid Starfishes in the economy of the world, it need 

 scarcely be remarked that the history of the only Crinoid 

 animal at present inhabiting our seas, at one time so full 

 of those beautiful and wonderful creatures, must present 

 many points of great interest not to the zoologist only, 

 but also to the geologist. And in truth the history of 

 the Feather-star, — for so on account of its plumose ap- 

 pearance I would designate the Starfish called by na- 

 turalists Comatula, — is one of the little romances in which 

 natural history abounds, one of those narrations which, 

 while believing, we almost doubt, and yet, while doubt- 

 ing, must believe. Nevertheless, there is nothing incon- 

 sistent with the creature's position in the animal kingdom 

 in the account of the developement of the Comatula ; but 

 before speaking of that subject, it is best we describe the 

 animal in all its parts. 



The adult Comatula consists of a cup-shaped calcareous 

 base, in the concavity of which is placed a soft body, and 

 on the convexity a number of slender, jointed, simple arms. 

 The base branches into five arms, which very soon bifur- 



