SHETLAND ARGUS. 69 



of narrow calcareous joints, and are rounded above with 

 precipitous sides, but flattened beneath. On the lower 

 angles are placed transverse tubercular ridges with rows 

 of spines, five, six, or seven in number near the body, but 

 fewer as the arms grow smaller. The flattened surface of 

 the arms is covered with small rounded granules, not 

 placed in any regular order, and not all of one size. 

 The upper surface is likewise granulated ; but the gra- 

 nules marking the separation of the plates are arranged 

 in two transverse regular rows. On the thicker parts of the 

 arms there are sometimes scattered a few spines, short, 

 thick, flattened, and somewhat conical in form, resembling 

 the spines on the tubercles. The extremities of the rays 

 are very much attenuated and branched, the branches 

 curling and interlacing. The Astrophyton scutatum mea- 

 sures a foot or more across. 



The singular aspect of this animal has long excited 

 admiration among naturalists. Rondeletius especially ex- 

 presses his wonder ; and Bradley remarks in his Works 

 of Nature, p. 50, " So odd a creature as this is well worth 

 the contemplation of such curious persons as live near the 

 sea, where every day they have subjects enow to employ 

 their curiosity and improve their understanding.'" Grew, 

 in his account of the Museum of the Royal Society, tells 

 us that "As he swims he spreads and stretches out all 

 his branches to their full length ; and so soon as he per- 

 ceives his prey within his reach he hooks them all in, and 

 so takes it as it were in a net." My friend, Mr. 

 Thomas Edmonston, jun. of Unst, Zetland, informs me 

 that " it is very rare, and is not found so far from land as 

 the Piper (Cidaris papillata). The fishermen (by whom it 

 is called 'Argus' 1 ) occasionally catch it; but in clean- 



