FOURTH WEEK] 



June 



157 



a starfish of this age show the stomach with its contents, 

 a dark rounded mass near the lower portion of the organ- 

 ism. The vibrating bands which outline the tiny animal 

 are also visible. The delicacy of structure and difficulty of 

 preserving these young starfish alive, make these pictures of 

 particular value, especially as they were taken of the living 

 forms swimming in their natural element. Each day and 

 almost each hour adds to the complexity of the little 

 animal, lung tentacles grow out and many other larval 



LARVAL STARFISH. 



stages are passed through before the starfish shape is dis- 

 cernible within this curious " nurse " or living, changing 

 egg. Then the entire mass, so elaborately evolved through 

 so long a time, is absorbed and the little baby star 

 sinks to the bottom to start on its new life, crawling 

 around and over whatever happens in its path and feed- 

 ing to repletion on succulent oysters. It can laugh at the 

 rage of the oysterman, who angrily tears it in pieces, for 

 " time heals all wounds " literally in the case of these 



