276 BRITTLE-STARS. 



An extraordinary feature, characteristic of all the 

 above-mentioned animals, is the great tendency which 

 they have to mutilate themselves, and throw their 

 limbs about in fragments on the slightest provocation. 

 If a specimen be handled, a certain number of frag- 

 ments will assuredly be cast off. If the rays become 

 entangled in sea- weed, or even if the water in which 

 the animal resides happens to become impure, the 

 same disastrous result follows, until nothing but the 

 little circular disc remains. As a set off against 

 this weakness, both the Ophiune and the Brittle- 

 stars possess reproductive powers of a high order. 

 Hence it not unfrequently happens that if each and 

 all the rays of a specimen be rejected, the animal 

 will live on, and eventually, perhaps, become a com- 

 plete and perfect star-fish. 



The best means of preserving an Ophiura is to let 

 the devoted animal remain for a time expanded in 

 sea-water, then with a small pair of forceps lift it 

 carefully up, and plump it into a bath of cold c fresh ' 

 water, letting it lie there for about an hour. The 

 animal speedily dies, as if poisoned, in the fresh 

 liquid, in a state of rigid expansion. Some writers 

 recommend that, at this stage, the specimen should 

 be dipped for a moment into boiling water, and then 

 dried in a current of air ; but I have never been 

 able to detect any 'great benefit arising from the 

 adoption of the process. 



When examining any of the Brittle-stars, I have 



