306 THE MEDALS OF CREATION. Cuap. VIII. 
GoniasTtER. JLign. 97 and 98.—The star-fishes of this 
genus, popularly called Cushion-star's, are of a pentagonal 
form, and have a double series of large marginal plates, 
bearing granules or spines ; the latter are seldom preserved 
in the fossils. The upper surface is nodulose. 
The detached ossicula of 
the skeletons of Cushion- 
stars are frequent in the 
White Chalk ; and the 
large central bone, the 
4, meadreporiform tubercle, 
4) which is present in the 
W, dorsal aspect of all star- 
fishes, is large, and there- 
ii fore often observed, and 
ij, May be easily mistaken 
for the base ofa crinoidean 
receptacle. The layers in 
the Sussex Chalk com- 
posed of the exuvie of 
star-fishes, as previously 
mentioned, are chiefly made up of ossicula of goniasters. 
There are two species not uncommon in the Chalk, of 
which portions may generally be obtained from the pits near 
Gravesend ; and occasionally very fine examples of the entire 
goniaster are met with. Mr. Dixon’s work contains figures 
‘ of several exquisite fossils of this kind. These organic re- 
mains were familiar to the early collectors: Mr. Parkinson 
figures several in Org. Rem. vol. iii. pl. i. and ii.* 
Goniaster Hunteri (Lign. 97), has the body obtusely pen- 
tagonal, and the sides nearly straight ; the superior inter- 
mediate marginal plates are four, equal, broadly oblong, 
Fosstt Star-risu. Chalk, Kent. 
GONIASTER MANTELLI. (sp Forbes.*) 
* Dixon’s Cret, Foss. p. 332. + Pict. Atlas, pl. liii. 
