go BY THE DEEP SEA. 



shutting and taking hold of something. They are analogous 

 to those curious bird's-head organs on some of the zoophytes, 

 to which attention has already been directed. Their function 

 is to take hold of seaweeds and other substances, until the 

 suckers can be got to work ; also to keep the sucker-feet clean 

 by removing all matter tending to clog them and impede their 

 efficient working. 



The upper side of a common Star-fish is covered with rough 

 or spiny plates, and bosses of carbonate of lime secreted by the 

 creatures, and these take definite patterns in different species. 



The Common Star-fish (Uraster rubens] is well-known for its 

 rough orange-coloured exterior, and its profusion, in some 

 seasons, upon certain parts of the coast. It swarms on oyster 

 and mussel-beds, and causes considerable annoyance to fisher- 

 men, who find it taking possession of the bait on their lines, 

 and so keeping off the fishers' rightful prey. 



There is a less common but prettier species, the Spiny Star 

 (Uraster glacialis], you may find among the rocks at low- water. 

 It is much larger than the common Cross-fish, and in proportion 

 the rays are longer, their sides more parallel, the upper side 

 more distinctly spiny, and the colour a glaucous green, with 

 variations towards violet. It is more angular-looking than the 

 common species. 



Another species is the Eyed Cribella (Cribella oculcita), 

 which has an upper surface quite free from spines or rough- 

 nesses, and of a purple colour. 



These Stars go through a remarkable metamorphosis. In 

 the year 1835, Sars, the celebrated naturalist, discovered a 

 peculiar creature about an inch in length, to which he gave 

 the name, Bipinnaria asterigera, and classed it among the 

 Jelly-fishes. Nine years later, however, some further observa- 

 tions caused him to reconsider this view, and to regard the 

 creature as more probably the larva of a Star-fish ; and in 

 the course of a few years this opinion was confirmed by the 

 researches of Messrs. Korcn and Danielssen. 



