COMATULA ROSACEA. 331 
colour dotted with brown may serve to give us an idea of the 
beauty of the submarine landscapes where Pentacrinus Wyville- 
Thomson or Bathyerinus gracilis abound. During the earlier 
stage of its existence, the comatula is attached to a stalk ; a dis- 
covery for which science is indebted to Mr. T. V. Thompson, who 
in 1823 dredged in the Cove of Corkasingular little pedunculated 
erinoid animal ( Pentacrinus ewropeus),which he found attached 
to the stems of zoophytes. It measured about three-fourths of 
an inch in height, and resembled a minute comatula mounted on 
the stalk of a pentacrinus. When this pygmy representative 
of the ancient hly-stars was first dragged up from its submarine 
haunts, it created a great sensation among naturalists, as it was 
the first recent animal of the encrinite kind which had ever 
been seen in the seas of Europe. At first it was supposed to be 
a distinct species, but Mr. Thompson, by carefully following it 
through all the stages of its growth, succeeded in proving that 
it was merely the hitherto unnoticed young of the rosy feather- 
star. 
This elegant crinoid is found all round our coasts, and its 
range extends from Norway to the shores of the Mediterranean. 
In swimming, the movements of its arms exactly resemble the 
alternating stroke given by the medusa to the liquid element, 
and have the same effect, causing the animal to raise itself from 
the bottom and to advance back foremost, even more rapidly 
than the medusa. When dying, either in fresh water or in 
spirits, it emits a most beautiful purple colour, which tinges 
the liquid in which it is killed. 
The Ophiuride, or snake-stars, are essentially distinguished 
from the true star-fishes by the long serpent or worm-like 
arms, which are appended to their round, depressed, urchin- 
like bodies. They have no true suckers with which to walk, 
their progression being effected (and with great facility) by 
the twisting or wriggling of their arms, which are moreover 
in many species furnished with spines on the sides, assisting 
locomotion over a flat surface. These arms are very different 
from those of the true star-fishes, which are lobes of the 
animal’s body, whereas the arms of the Ophiurids are mere 
processes attached or superadded to the body. 
These animals are very generally distributed through the 
seas of our earth, both of its northern and southern hemi- 
