66 Dwellers of the Sea and Shore 



little tube feet. At this time, however, another and 

 perhaps more serious problem presents itself; it must 

 find food of such a nature as easily to be captured and 

 overcome by such an insignificant and slow-moving mite 

 as the starfish now is; for it starts out in the final stage 

 of its life no bigger than a lentil. Herein is the first 

 clue to the reason for the migrating of the sexes. No 

 region of the ocean is more prolific of life than the 

 shallower waters near the shore and in coves and inlets; 

 and no region is more diversified. In that zone, from 

 the high-water mark to a point several fathoms deep 

 the sun's rays help to produce the greater part of that 

 vegetation to which nearly all living marine animals 

 owe their existence either directly or indirectly. This 

 is to say the plants are eaten by certain animals which 

 are in turn devoured by other creatures and these again 

 may become food for others. Therefore it is not with- 

 out purpose that the gravid females leave the less favor- 

 able depths to assemble in the region of the sunken 

 wreck. In response to the maternalistic instinct they 

 seek to disperse their eggs in surroundings where food 

 will be plentiful for the forthcoming progeny. The 

 adult males, in response to an instinct no less powerful, 

 accompany the females in these migrations. For with- 

 out their presence, without the certainty that the spawn 

 is soon to receive that vital impetus which assures its 

 further development, it is clear that the precautions of 

 the prospective mothers will have been in vain. 



Would you know what the young starfishes eat? 

 Well, to enumerate all the things that go to make up 

 their diet would be somewhat difficult; for, like the 

 adults, they are scavengers — although fastidious ones 



