224 SEASIDE DIVINITY. 



tail ; in fact, it must be seen, as no description can 

 do justice to the marvellous mechanism of its 

 organs of locomotion, respiration, and deglutition. 

 The student will recognise it by its fine rose 

 colour, sometimes variegated with bands of crim- 

 son and yellow. 



Another beautiful species of these interesting 

 animals is the Sun-Star. It is so called because 

 the disk is surrounded by twelve broad rays. In 

 colour the sun star is variable. Sometimes the 

 whole body is red ; sometimes, also, it is purple ; 

 sometimes the centre is red and the rays white. 



Several of these remarkable creatures now de- 

 scribed are further distinguished by the possession 

 of a most singular power the power of self- 

 destruction; for on being removed from their 

 natural element they fall to pieces : they are hence 

 called " brittle stars." Whether this peculiarity is 

 the result of voluntary action, or the natural effect 

 of exposure to the air or to touch, it seems diffi- 

 cult to determine, although in some instances it 

 looks like an act of will on the creature's part. 



Let us hear what Professor Edward Forbes says 

 on this point. Having taken a fine specimen of 

 the Lingthorn (Luidia fragilissima), a star-fish 

 measuring some two feet across, he gives the fol- 

 lowing humorous account of its suicidal propen- 

 sities : "Never having seen one before, and quite 

 unconscious of its suicidal powers, I spread it out 

 on a rowing bench, the better to admire its form 

 and colours. On attempting to remove it for 

 preservation, I found only an assemblage of re- 



