134 



ASTERISK. 



been taken by Mr. Wallace. In Ireland, Mr. W. Thomp- 

 son finds it on the coast of Down and Antrim, and Mr. 

 Ball at Youghal, from whence he has a specimen in his 

 collection seven and a half inches in diameter. In several 

 specimens he found Natica Alderi in its stomach, and one 

 contained nine of that shell with a Turritella Terebra. He 

 takes them in deep water. In Donegal Bay it is common 

 on a sandy bottom. It has been taken abundantly in Ross 

 Bay (county Cork) by trawling, by Mr. George J. Allman 

 of Bandon, who finds it on all the south-west coast of 

 Cork. I do not think it is ever a littoral species ; and 

 those I have dredged were always taken on sandy ground. 

 I have one with a small Venus cassina in its stomach. 



Mr. Bean has communicated the following account of a 

 singular superstition in regard to this species observed by 

 the fishermen of his neighbourhood. " Our fishermen call 

 this species a Butthorn. The first taken is carefully made 

 a prisoner, and placed on a seat at the stern of the boat. 

 When they hook a But (Holibut) they immediately give 

 the poor Starfish its liberty, and commit it to its native 

 element ; but if their fishery is unsuccessful it is left to 

 perish, and may eventually enrich the cabinet of some in- 

 dustrious collector.'' 1 



The vignette represents the " dreg, 1 ' an instrument used 

 by the Shetlanders for procuring shells, &c. from deep 

 water. 



