474 Aster ias pappbsa. 



ment which originates here; and the ventral ligaments receive 

 a similar accession before they have completely crossed the 

 disk. These strong accessory ligaments are free or unat- 

 tached to the skin, and some of them arise by two distinct 

 heads, and the three connected with the ventral are actually 

 digastric, or consist of two equal muscles, with a common 

 origin and insertion. These muscular bands are also inserted 

 into the ring at the base of the tentacula, so that there are 

 ten ligaments inserted into the apparatus about the mouth, 

 five of which run the whole length of the body, and five, of 

 which three are digastric, originate near the middle, and are 

 limited to the upper half. From their size and strength, their 

 action over the tentacula, and the parts in connexion with 

 them, must be very violent. 



The tubes which penetrate the pedal disk are similar to 

 those which garnish the furrows in the inferior surface of the 

 rays of the star-fish : they serve to fix the creature to the 

 bottom of the sea, and prevent it being cast on shore by every 

 storm ; while, at the same time, they probably conduct water 

 into the interior, which, floating round the respiratory fila- 

 ments, is ultimately forced through the canal that leads to the 

 anus. 



The specimen from which our figure was drawn was taken 

 on the coast of Berwickshire. 



^4STE X RIAS PAPPO V SA. {fig. 69.) 



A. pappbsa. Rays 12 to 14, shorter than the diameter of 

 the disk, which is covered with spiniferous produced tubercles ; 

 the spines in brush-like bundles. 



A. papposa Barb., Gen. Verm., 85. tab. 10. fig. 2. ; Penn. Brit. Zool., iv. 

 135. ; Turt. Brit. Faun., 141. ; Stew. Elem., i. 400. ; Flem. Brit. Anim., 

 487. ; Encyclop. Method., tab. 107. figs. 6, 7. 



Hab. — Frequent on the British coast, in deep water. 



This is a beautiful species, the upper surface being of a 

 fine blood-red colour, variegated more or less with pale cir- 

 cular bands. It is sometimes 1 ft. in diameter, the disk occupy- 

 ing about 6 in., and each ray about 3 in. of this breadth ; and 

 these proportions are the same in the smaller and more com- 

 mon specimens. The upper surface is flat and rough, being co- 

 vered with prominent tubercles, surmounted with a tuft of rigid 

 spines. Intermixed with these tubercles, there are numerous 

 pale soft papillae, which appear to be scarcely retractile. Oper- 

 culum lateral. The rays taper to an obtuse point, and there 

 is an obscure row of somewhat larger tubercles along their 

 margins, distantly placed. The inferior surface is furnished 



