THE ASTEROJDE.E. 



133 



stars and star-fishes, that have usurped their place, abound in 

 the modern ocean, and frequently, like their 'predecessors of 

 old, cover the bottom of the sea with a living carpet. 



The snake-stars are essentially distinguished 

 from the true star-fishes by the long serpent 

 or worm-like arms which are appended to 

 their round, depressed, urchin-like bodies. 

 They have no true suckers with which to 

 walk, their progression being effected (and 

 with great facility) by the twisting or wrig- 

 gling of their arms, which are, moreover, in 

 many species furnished with spines on the sides, 

 assisting locomotion over a flat surface. These 

 arms are very different from those of the true 

 star-fishes, as they are not lobes of the body as 

 in the latter, but mere processes attached or 

 superadded to the body. In the sand-stars 

 and brittle-stars they are simple ; but in the 

 Scotch Argus or Warted Euryale, of which 

 the adjoining woodcut represents a segment, 

 each of the five rays is branched again and 

 again, so that the whole resembles a bunch of 

 serpents' tails. While swimming, this strange creature spreads 

 and stretches oat all its branches to their full length, but when 

 a desirable prey comes within their 

 reach, it suddenly contracts their 

 Grorgon coils and entraps its victim 

 as in the meshes of a net. "As the 

 expanded Argus measures about a foot 

 in diameter, it may well be supposed 

 that it is no contemptible enemy for 

 the small fishes it may meet with on 

 its way. 



The brittleness of the snake-stars is 

 highly remarkable, for at the slightest 

 touch they separate themselves into 

 pieces with wonderful quickness and 



Warted Euryale. 



ease. Touch the common brittle-star, 



and it flings away an arm ; hold it, and in a moment not a 



process remains attached to the body. ' The common brittle 



Sand-star. 



