ROSY FEATHER-STAR. 17 



thirty dorsal filaments ; and the Comatula barbata, having 

 only ten. They are evidently the same animal, of different 

 ages, or in different states of preservation, as may be seen 

 at once by referring to the figures given of each. They 

 are both identical with the Comatula Mediterranea of 

 Lamarck. A Feather-star is a very different animal 

 when preserved in spirits with its expanded fins, from what 

 it appears when dried. The range of the Rosy Feather- 

 star extends from Norway to the shores of the Medi- 

 terranean. 



When a freshly-caught Feather-star is plunged into 

 cold fresh water, it dies in a state of contraction ; but if 

 not so killed, or else if not killed in spirits, it breaks itself 

 into pieces like an Ophiura. When dying, either in fresh 

 water or in spirits it gives out a most beautiful purple 

 colour which tinges the liquid in which it is killed. This 

 colour is retained a long time in spirits. The fact was 

 long ago noted by Bartholinus, who observed it at Naples, 

 and whose observations on it will be found in a note to 

 Fabius Columna. 



Mr. J. V. Thompson has the following note on a curious 

 animal, which is parasitic on the Feather-star : — " Con- 

 nected with the natural history of the Comatula is that of 

 a nondescript parasite, which appears to be a complete 

 zoological puzzle, as it is not possible to determine from 

 its figure and structure to what class it ought to be 

 referred, its natural size not exceeding that of the breadth 

 of the ossicula of the arms of the Comatula : it resembles 

 a flat scale, and runs about with considerable velocity on 

 the arms of the animal, and occasionally protrudes a 

 flexible tubular proboscis, ending in a papillary margin. 

 The disk or body is surrounded by eighteen or twenty 



e 



