54 OPIIIUR.E. 



between the insertions of the rays. The upper surface is 

 ornamented with oval, round, or angular plates, variously 

 arranged, and surrounded by numerous, very short, blunt, 

 little spines, which in some places cover considerable por- 

 tions of the disk. The general arrangement of the plates 

 on the disk is as follows : — A round central plate, surrounded 

 at a little distance by a circle of five semicircular plates, 

 each of which is placed at the apex of a cordiform depres- 

 sion, the base of which is at the origin of a ray. Several 

 large and small plates stud this cordiform depression, some- 

 times irregularly, sometimes in a regular row. The little 

 spines mingled with these plates are smaller than those 

 on other parts of the surface, and sometimes the depres- 

 sions are bordered by larger spines. The intermediate 

 spaces have a row of plates proceeding from the centre to 

 the margin. This intermingled surface of spines and plates 

 gives the disk that likeness to a daisy-flower, whence it 

 has been called " bellis" by some ; nor is the flower at all 

 degraded by the comparison, for but few daisies can show 

 such beauty either of form or colour as is presented by this 

 little Sea-star. Beneath there are no plates on the much- 

 rounded angles between the rays, the whole being thickly 

 studded by the little spines. Between the origins of each 

 pair of rays there is a little broad angular plate. The 

 rays themselves vary much in length, and are generally very 

 thick and rather flat. They are covered above by trans- 

 versely ovate plates, each of which is surrounded by a 

 border of little, flat, roundish granules, seeming like a 

 brooch set in a frame of gems. Sometimes these plates 

 are divided into two or three pieces ; and when such is 

 the case, the pieces are similarly framed by granules. The 

 rays are bordered by rows of thick, compressed, obtuse 

 spines, generally six in each row, the largest uppermost, 



