this admission before in print. I collected by proxy. 

 To a fisherman plying his trade at the eastern end 

 of the Sound I confided my desperation, with the 

 result that I was soon supplied with the species 

 mentioned but commonly known as ''Daisy Brittle 

 Stars," and probably the only serpent-star bearing 

 a popular name. Well, no matter — the questions 

 we are about to apply to O. aculeata will receive 

 the same answers when put to any other member 

 of the group. 



Of the dozen inmates, but five are visible; and 

 these can be seen variously distributed over the 

 muddy floor of the aquarium for the most part 

 motionless except for their arms which keep sweep- 

 ing in a sinuous fashion the area within their reach. 

 They are feeding. On the silty bottom, barely vis- 

 ible by reason of its dark color and fineness, is a 

 generous sprinkling of algal material largely com- 

 posed of diatoms, supplied but a few hours before. 

 Here a sharp eye is necessary if one would see the 

 method. The rows of tube-feet extending along the 

 under side of each arm exhibit a rhythmic wave-like 

 movement much as would the teeth of a comb 

 when the finger is slowly passed over the points. 

 This movement is toward the central mouth and it 



[70] 



