290 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



coasts. Pecks of it are often taken daily by each 

 shrimp boat belonging to the port; of these craft 

 some seventy or eighty are registered here. As is well 

 known, these crustaceans shed their outside garment 

 at stated intervals. But one I obtained in May 

 1901 had quite a cluster of young acorn barnacles 

 (Balanus balanoides) growing upon its carapace. It 

 is evident this jacket had not been recently acquired. 



STARFISH MISHAP 



After a severe north-east gale in April 1902 I 

 took a long walk northward of Yarmouth along 

 the beach. I observed hundreds of five-rayed Star- 

 fishes (Uraster rubens\ and eleven, twelve, and thirteen- 

 rayed Stars (Solaster papposa), hundreds of empty 

 shells of the Horse Mussel (Modolia modoliw\ and 

 with them many Sea-mice. 



An interesting accident befell the cat of a friend 

 with whom I had left a few of the Sunstars to look 

 at. During the tea-hour, the feline member of the 

 family managed to devour the half of one. In half 

 an hour's time she could not walk straight, and 

 groaned piteously. After a collapse of some hours' 

 duration she got upon her feet, and could just 



