126 THE SEA. 



on the sea-shore, to have the pleasure of seeing one of these star-fishes walking- upon the 

 sand/' although they are very commonly left dead there. 



The star-fish's mouth is on its lower side, and almost directly abuts on its stomach. It 

 is a voracious feeder, and will even attack molluscs. Formerly it was believed that the animal 

 would open an oyster with one of its rays, or legs, but this was unlikely, as the oyster might 

 be likely enough to have the best of it in such a case by shutting his shells on the intruder. 

 It is now pretty well understood that it injects an acrid poison into the oyster's shell, which 

 obliges it to open. 



The " Urchins " seem to owe their name to Aristotle, and their spiny covering and arma- 

 ture have in all ages attracted the attention of naturalists. Some of them have 3,000 or 

 4,000 prickles, and their organisation is really wonderful. They are enclosed in a globular 

 hollow box, which grows with their growth. Gosse explains how. The box can never be 

 cast off, and it is obvious that the deposits made from inside would only narrow the space, 

 which really requires to be enlarged. " The growing animal feels its tissues swelling day 

 by day, by the assimilation of food. Its cry is ' Give me space ! a larger house, or I 

 die ! ' How is this problem solved ? Ah ! there is no difficulty. The inexhaustible wisdom 

 of the Creator has a beautiful contrivance for the emergency. The box is not made in one 

 piece, nor in ten, nor a hundred. Six hundred distinct pieces go to make up the hollow 

 case, all accurately fitted together, so that the perfect symmetry of outline remains unbroken ; 

 and yet, thin as their substance is, they retain their relative positions with unchanging exact- 

 ness, and the slight brittle box retains all requisite strength and firmness, for each of these 

 pieces is enveloped by a layer of living fiesh ; a vascular tissue passes up between the joints,, 

 where one meets another, and spreads itself over the whole exterior surface." Their spines 

 are instruments of defence and of locomotion ; each has several muscles to work it. 



The poet-scientist, Michelet, has beautifully painted the animal's nature, and makes it 

 describe itself as follows. " I am born/' says the unobtrusive Echinoderm, " without 

 ambition ; I ask for none of the brilliant gifts possessed by those gentlemen the molluscs. 

 I would neither make mother-of-pearl nor pearls; I have no wish for brilliant colours, a 

 luxury which would point me out ; still less do I desire the grace of your giddy medusas, 

 the waving charm of whose flaming locks attracts observation and exposes one to shipwreck. 

 Oh, mother ! I wish for one thing only, to le to be without these exterior and com- 

 promising appendages ; to be thickset, strong-, and round, for that is the shape in which I 

 should be the least exposed ; in short, to be a centralised being. I have very little instinct 

 for travel. To roll sometimes from the surface to the bottom of the sea is enough of travel 

 for me. Glued firmly to my rock, I could there solve the problem, the solution of which 

 your favourite, man, seeks for in vain that of safety. To strictly exclude enemies and 

 admit all friends, especially water, air, and light, would, I know, cost me some labour and 

 constant effort. Covered with movable spines, enemies will avoid me. Now, bristling like 

 a bear, they call me an urchin.""* 



The term " sea-cucumber " accurately describes the shape of the Holothuria, which is 

 in general terms a worm-like cylinder, varying as much as from an inch or two to 



* " La Mer." 



