94 PROFESSOR EDWARD FORBES. 



Asterias glacialis, from the same place, was a spleudid object when just 

 taken up from the sea, of which Forbes's figure in the British Star 

 Fishes (18-il) gives but a poor idea ; it reminds one rather of the frame 

 work of a crown, with the jewels all gone. Luidia fragiUssima, (liugthorn,) 

 Goniaster Templetoni,&u.dAsteriHa (jihbosa. Off Ramsey occurred Ophiura 

 gramdata and alhida, besides 0. rosula, bellis, brachiata, and neglecta, 

 recorded by the Professor, as were Uraster hispida, Solaster endeca, and 

 the beautiful Palmipes, long since taken by us, but in a different locality, 

 namely, the Diamond Fishing-gx-ound, in the British Channel, possibly 

 named from the occurrence of the animal, wliich is so called by the 

 Sussex fishermen. 



The Isle of Man appears, then, upon the whole, to have more affinity to 

 Ireland than to its other surroundings. It has no mole, toad, or snake, 

 as is the case with the latter country, and both had the great elk, which 

 was occasionally engulfed in their deep curraghs. The frog was a new 

 impoi-tation in both countries in Camden's time, though it is now 

 common. There are newts in the island, the crested and smooth, 

 and as many lizards, Lacerta agilis and Zootoca vivipara, Bell. The 

 hedgehog was originally introduced, but is now common. The pole-cat 

 is absent, but the stoat is common, the only species of the MustelidEB, 

 as it is in Ireland. The water-rat is found, the squin-el is absent. The 

 tailless cat is, probably, aboriginal, both here and in Cornwall. Many of 

 the Manx fowls are destitute of tail feathers. There may be some 

 physical reasons for these peculiarities, but what they are must be left 

 for others to explain. The habits and language of the natives ai'e also 

 aUied to those of the Irish, with, no doubt, a trace of the Scandinavian. 



One bird derives its specific name from Mona, the Manx shearwater, 

 but it no longer frequents its ancient resort, the Calf. That peculiai'ly 

 British bird, the grouse, has become extinct. The magpie is recorded to 

 have been brought to the island by man ; and Camden says there are no 

 woodpeckers, jays, or mawijs (?). The jaischievous Irish or gx-ey crow, 

 and the red crow or chough, are more common in some parts than the 

 black crow. The raven and peregrine falcon are not absent from the 

 highest rocks. There are, also, the long-eared owl, the heron, and a 

 host of interesting sea-birds. 



FRESHWATEE LIFE.— 2. ROTIFEEA. 



BY EDWaN SMITH, ESQ., M.A. 



In pursuing our studies of the minute forms of Freshwater Life, we 

 cannot fail to encounter a number of creatures much smaller than the 

 Eutomostraca before described, yet quite distinguishable with the aid of a 

 simplo lens, sailing through the water with an easy, swinging motion • 

 or grazing, like small cattle, among the threads of algie ; or moored by 

 the tail to some green spray, while a ciu-ious ciliated head is stretched 



