96 BY THE DEEP SEA. 



joints consists of four little plates, one each above and below, 

 and one on each side. The side plates bear each from five to 

 ten stiff and granular spines of varying length ; and short 

 tentacles come out beside the lower plates. These tentacles 

 are not sucker-feet, like those of Five-fingers, but rigid, hooked 

 processes; and there are no pedicellarice with their snapping 

 jaws. The mouth is a very extensive opening, but its area is 

 largely occupied by the five jaws, the free ends of which 

 extend upwards far into the body cavity, and are covered with 

 rows of long, close-set teeth. These teeth, on the five jaws 

 being brought together, must form a wonderfully efficient 

 masticatory apparatus. 



One of the commoner forms of these Brittle-stars is the 

 Granulate Brittle-star (Ophiocoma granulatd), represented in 

 part in our illustration. I have seen crab-pots brought in with 

 this species thickly coating the bottoms inside, and attached 

 to well-nigh every bar ; there must have been thousands in 

 each " pot." 



An allied species that is more plentiful as an inhabitant of 

 the littoral zone, is the Red Brittle-star (Ophiothrix rosuld), 

 which will be found sprawling over the under-surfaces of big 

 stones at low-water, in company with the Broad-claw Crab. 

 Of this species Edward Forbes truly remarks : 



" Of all our native Brittle-stars, this is the most common and 

 the most variable. It is also one of the handsomest, presenting 

 every variety of variegation, and the most splendid displays of 

 vivid hues, arranged in beautiful patterns. Not often do we 

 find two specimens coloured alike. It varies also in the length 

 of the ray-spines, the spinuousness of the disk, and the relative 

 proportions of rays and disk ; and in some places it grows to 

 a much greater size than in others. It is the most brittle of 

 all Brittle-stars, separating itself into pieces with wonderful 

 quickness and ease. Touch it, and it flings away an arm ; 

 hold it, and in a moment not an arm remains attached to the 

 body." 



