143 LECTURE X. 



the form of a star, as vulgarly painted. In some 

 the rays or limbs are few in number, and in others 

 numerous : in the more simple species the prevail- 

 ing number of the rays is five ; in others ten, ov 

 twelve. In some the rays, instead of being broad 

 or thick at the base, are throughout extremely 

 narrow ; and lastly, some are of a compound and 

 very numerously-ramified appearance. Several 

 are natives of the European seas, but the most 

 striking are of exotic origin. Many have been ad- 

 mirably figured in the work of Seba, and many in 

 that of Link, an author who wrote a work on this 

 genus in particular, accompanied by very numer- 

 ous plates. As the strong and almost crustaceous 

 skin of these animals admits of their being easily 

 preserved in their natural appearance, they are 

 frequently seen in collections, and many of the 

 most rare and curious species may be found in the 

 British and Leverian Museums. Of the simpler 

 kinds; or those with large, thick rays, the A. reti- 

 culata is one of the largest, and most elegant; it 

 often measures a foot in diameter, and is of a yel- 

 lowish red colour, with the upper surface curiously 

 tuberculated, and the margins of the rays jointed 

 in such a manner as to appear as if artificially carv- 



