The Starfish and Its Kindred 6 1 



verses considerable distances; and to one unaware of 

 the method of travel, its migrations are accomplished 

 in an incredibly short time. The truth is, it appears 

 rather poorly favored when compared with other 

 rovers; but it gets there just the same, as we shall pres- 

 ently have an opportunity to see. 



Before replacing my pretty starfish in the water, 

 I do not neglect to examine its upper surface for 

 caprellas and sea spiders and other minute creatures 

 which are sometimes harbored there. Ofttimes this 

 proves to be a profitable hunting ground; but in this 

 instance it is barren of these guests. All that is re- 

 vealed under the searching scrutiny of my pocket lens 

 is the dark-purple exterior armed with short, blunt, 

 calcareous nodules, or spines. They are encircled at 

 the base, and not infrequently covered, by a cluster of 

 tiny pincerlike appendages. These are the pedicellarise ; 

 they are plainly adapted to seizing and holding, and 

 their principal use seems to be to rid the animal of 

 foreign substances such as certain seaweeds and other 

 growths that have a tendency to afl'ix themselves to 

 hard objects. Less conspicuous, because of their great 

 transparency, are numerous teatlike projections arising 

 between the spines, which form part of the breathing 

 system of the starfish. Except for their smaller size, 

 they somewhat resemble the tube feet minus their suck- 

 ers. Bending to and fro, they are constantly in motion, 

 seeking to extract the oxygen necessary for the animal's 

 support from the surrounding film of water. Thus it 

 will be seen that the starfish veritably carries its lungs 

 on its back. 



But the most striking thing, in appearance at least, 



