CHAP. XVI. 



THE NEW STAR-FISH. 



327 



measure pyramidal, and what, in truth, may be 

 termed triangular in form." 



Of all his daughters, Maggie seems to have been 

 the most helpful. She went down to Gardenston to 

 obtain the refuse from the fishermen's lines, to collect 

 fish, Crustacea, and such like, and send them home to 

 her father by the carrier. She sometimes accom- 

 panied him along the coast as far as Fraserburgh and 

 Peterhead. One evening, while Edward was partak- 

 ing of his evening meal, Maggie entered and accosted 

 him joyfully " Father, I've got a new Star-fish t' ye, 

 wT sax legs!" "I hope so, Maggie," he answered, 

 "but I doubt it." After he had finished his 

 supper, he said, " Now, Maggie, let 's see this prodigy 

 of yours." After looking at it, " Just as I thought, 

 Maggie," said he, " it's not a new species it's only an 

 Ophiocoma Ballii, but rather a peculiar one in its way, 

 having, as you said, ' sax legs ' instead of five." 



Of .the Kosy-Feather Star (Comatula roseacea) 

 which Edward had long been searching for, and at last 

 found he says : " What a pretty creature ! but how 

 brittle ! and oh, how beautiful ! Does any one won- 

 der, as I used to do, when he hears of a stone-lily or 

 of a lily-star, as applied to this genus? Then let him 

 get a sight of a Crenard-star, and sure I am that his 

 surprise will give place to admiration. And how 

 curious ! It was once supposed to have been the 

 ' most numerous of the ocean's inhabitants,' whereas 

 now there are only about a dozen kinds to be found 



