96 URASTERIyE. 



marked. Beneath, the spines bordering the avenues are 

 longer and finer than those on the reticulations, and are 

 arranged in the same manner as in other species of Uraster. 

 The avenues are elongato-ovate in form, — a good distin- 

 guishing character throughout this genus. 



The little Crossfish is a scarce species, and where found 

 does not seem to occur in much plenty. Pennant found it 

 in Anglesea. I have taken it at Arisaig, on the coast of 

 Ross-shire, in crevices of the gneiss rocks at low water ; and 

 under stones on the shore in the Kyles of Bute. It occurs 

 also on the east coast of Scotland, as I found several speci- 

 mens cast up by a storm on the sandy shore at St. An- 

 drew's, in December 1839. Dr. Coldstream found it among 

 limestone rocks at Castletown, Isle of Man ; and Mr. W. 

 Thompson informs me it occurs, though rarely, on the 

 coast of Down in Ireland. The Irish specimens were only 

 ten lines in diameter. Captain Portlock has taken it in Bel- 

 fast Bay. I am not aware of any instance of its occurrence 

 out of Britain ; but it probably will be found on the Scandi- 

 navian shores. It may easily be passed over as the young 

 of one of the more common species, but is very distinct. 



The Starfishes of the genus Uraster have a very wide 

 geographical distribution. The Common Crossfish has been 

 observed in Greenland, and other places very far north, 

 and is found in the Mediterranean, and on the south- 

 western shores of Europe. The Spiny Crossfish has a 

 similar distribution. A species very nearly allied to it, 

 having broader and shorter rays, but very similar in the 

 arrangement of its spines, has been found by Mr. Wallace 

 on the coast of Peru at Islay. A Starfish, very nearly 

 allied to rubens, but differing in the fineness and greater 

 number of its spines, is preserved in the Hunterian collec- 

 tion from the Arctic Seas. This may possibly occur on 



