120 VOLUNTARY DISMEMBERMENT. 



name of these animals is derived from the extraordinary delicacy 

 of their arms, which break away at the slightest touch, so as to 

 render it a difficult matter to procure specimens in a perfect 

 condition. And what adds to the singularity of the matter is, 

 that this mutilation is a perfectly voluntary act ; for it frequently 

 happens that, when these animals are brought up from the deep, 

 they leap and twist about, snapping off their arms piece by piece, 

 sometimes till there is nothing left but the small central disc. 

 Professor Forbes tells us that he once saw a dredge come up 

 completely filled with specimens of the Common Brittle-star 

 (Ophiocoma rosula"), and that, when they were emptied into the 

 boat, they began creeping about in all directions, writhing with 

 the strangest contortions, flinging their anns about in broken 

 fragments, and putting themselves into a variety of snake-like 

 and threatening attitudes. The boatmen, the Professor says, by 

 no means relished the sight, and begged permission to shovel the 

 little fellows overboard, declaring their belief that the " things 

 weren't altogether right!" 



By far the most famous of these animals for this propensity to 

 voluntary dismemberment, is one of the true Star-fish, an enor- 

 mous fellow nearly two feet in expanse, which bears the most 

 appropriate name of Luidia frangilissima. The graphic pen of 

 Edward Forbes has given us the following racy sketch of the 

 characteristic peculiarity of this prince of Star-fish : " The first 

 time I ever took one of these creatures, I succeeded in getting it 

 into the boat entire. 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, to my horror and disappointment 

 I found only an assemblage of rejected members. My conserva- 

 tive endeavours were neutralized by its destructive exertions, and 

 it is now badly represented in my cabinet by an armless disc 

 and a discless arm. Next time I went to dredge on the same 

 spot, determined not to be cheated out of a specimen in such a 

 way a second time, I brought with me a bucket of cold fresh 

 water, to which article Star-fishes have a great antipathy. As 

 I expected, a Luidia came up in the dredge, a most gorgeous 

 specimen. As it does not generally break up before it is raised 

 above the surface of the sea, cautiously and anxiously I sank 

 my bucket to a level with the dredge's mouth, and proceeded, 



