78 Life Beneath the Waves. 



and frequently, when I have taken them in 

 my hand for examination, at least three of 

 the five rays would, in the space of a few mo- 

 ments, be cast off by their alarmed owner. 



The tints of these Brittle Stars are ex- 

 tremely brilliant; hundreds, nay, thousands 

 of these creatures has the dredge con- 

 tinually brought up at a time, writhing and 

 entwining themselves together in a gor- 

 geous mass, and yet, owing to their habit 

 of breaking themselves up, I have never 

 been able to preserve one specimen really 

 perfect. 



The Sun Starfish is another brilliantly 

 coloured species ; its shape is very different 

 from that of the Brittle Star, for instead of 

 having a small body and five long rays, 

 this creature has a comparatively large disc 

 and twelve short arms ; its colour is gene- 

 rally pink or scarlet, and, although the Sun- 



