MARINE MISCELLANEA. 245 



in diameter. It is noteworthy that this Sea-star, in common with the Asterinae 

 previously referred to, departs from the pentagonal structural formula. The majority 

 of the specimens dredged were six-rayed or hexagons, while the one figured is 

 heptagonal. It would seem that Sea as well as Society-stars at the Antipodes have 

 decided to abate somewhat of the hard and fast lines of the Old World conven- 

 tionalities. 



A perfect little gem small, but of the first water is portrayed by the diminutive, 

 irreproachably pentagonal type bedight in crimson and scarlet situated near the top of 

 the Plate. It also belongs to the genus Asterina, but of an as yet undetermined 

 species, and was dredged by the writer in Western Port Bay, Victoria. An essentially 

 characteristic Australian species concludes this series. It is represented by the two 

 individuals respectively numbered 8 and 10, notable for their perfectly flat pentagonal 

 shape and the tesselated pattern of their component structure and ornamentation. The 

 species, Pentagonaster australis, is abundant in Tasmania and throughout the Australian 

 sea-board. More usually the tint of these Sea-stars is a light ochreous yellow, a 

 colour which, in conjunction with their flattened symmetrical shape, imparts to them 

 a remarkable resemblance to some sort of fancy biscuit, for which, if exposed for 

 sale in a confectioner's window, they would undoubtedly pass muster. The two 

 colour - variations figured in Chromo-Plate VIII. were obtained by the writer in 

 Tasmania. 



The marine zoological organism that finds most favour in the public estimation 

 at the close of the day's doings is that luscious bivalve, the Oyster. We 

 have consequently reserved it by way of a valedictory bonne bouche to this 

 present Chapter. The Common Oyster, Ostrcea edulis, flourishes, or, more correctly, 

 used to flourish, in all of the Southern Australian Colonies. The demand, however, 

 has overtaken and nearly annihilated the supply of this particular bivalve in both 

 Victoria and Tasmania, its former headquarters, and the oyster eaten most extensively 

 now throughout the length and breadth of Australia is the so-called Sydney Rock 

 Oyster, Ostrcea glomerata. Although formerly obtained in the greatest abundance in 

 New South Wales, over-exhaustion has greatly diminished the output from that colony, 

 and the largest supplies are now derived, and exported to all of the other colonies, 

 from Queensland. 



So much has been said regarding the Oysters and Oyster fisheries of Queensland 

 in a chapter extensively devoted to this topic in the author's recent work on the 

 " Great Barrier Reef," that it is not proposed to deal with this subject at any length on 



