132 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLESHIRE 



specimens of the Comatula, or rosy feather-star, 

 which should be looked upon with respect as 

 the sole British example of the oldest family of 

 starfish on earth, the stalked Crinoids. Every 

 time the dredge comes up there are half-a-dozen 

 at least of these dark-red objects limply adhering 

 to the sides, or mixed up with harder creatures 

 to the detriment of their brittle feathers. If put 

 into sea water they immediately expand, and 

 present the appearance of a living crimson-lake 

 sea-weed, with ten slender feathery fronds ex- 

 tended from a common centre. If you examine 

 them more closely, you will perceive that the 

 ten fronds are really five arms, each divided 

 near the point of junction with the cup-shaped 

 base, which contains the small soft body. When 

 young, it still more nearly resembles a plant or 

 seaweed, as it grows attached to the sand or 

 rock by a long simple jointed stalk, and waits 

 until it has attained a certain degree of maturity 

 before it breaks loose from its fetters and dares 

 the perils of existence as a freely moving and 

 swimming creature. Its colour varies a good 

 deal from dark to light red, with parts of its 

 arms often nearly white, and I have caught one 

 of quite a sandy colour. I also once captured 

 one of a light greyish colour, with feathers so 

 long and hairy in their appearance, and alto- 

 gether so different in its characteristics from 

 ordinary specimens, that I almost hoped it was 



