DAISY BRITTLE-STAR. 55 



and they scarcely so long as the ray's breadth. The 

 under surfaces of the rays are studded with transverse, 

 oblong, quadrangular plates, which are set at a little dis- 

 tance from each other. The rays taper rather suddenly 

 to their extremities. The disk is generally of a reddish 

 colour, the plates being lighter, giving it a beautifully 

 variegated appearance. There is a variety having a yellow 

 star on the body. The rays are generally reddish, banded 

 with darker bands, or with yellow. Some varieties are 

 entirely of a deep chocolate hue. The proportions of the 

 disk and rays vary much ; but generally the rays are not 

 more than three times as long as the disk is broad, yet I 

 have seen specimens in which they were twice that length. 

 In Shetland specimens occur having their bodies one inch 

 across ; generally, however, three quarters of an inch is 

 the measurement of the disk. The Shetland specimens 

 are larger in all parts than those of the Irish Sea or Eng- 

 lish coast, and are much more vividly coloured ; and 

 varieties occur in the latter locality, having a very small 

 disk. 



This Ophiocoma was first figured by Link, who re- 

 ceived his specimen from Greenland. It was afterwards 

 observed in the Norwegian seas by Muller, who figured 

 it in the Zoologia Danica. In Britain it was first noticed, 

 on the Scottish shores, by Dr. Fleming; and Dr. Leach, 

 apparently unaware of its having been described before, 

 named it after that distinguished Scottish naturalist. It 

 is by no means an uncommon species. On the English 

 coast Mr. Couch takes it in Cornwall, and Mr. Bean finds 

 it at Scarborough " under stones at very low tides, rare." 

 In Scotland it is found on both east and west coasts, and 

 is very abundant in a few fathoms water in Orkney and 

 Shetland. In the Irish Sea it is common in deep water, off 



