OPHIOCOMA EOSULA. 277 



always found it an excellent plan to raise them up 

 by aid of the forceps applied to the disc. By this 

 means a specimen may be moved about without any 

 fear of mutilation ; whereas if the fingers be used as 

 forceps, an unhappy result will assuredly follow. 



The Ophiocoma rosula, figured on Plate IX., will 

 serve to convey to the reader a general idea of this 

 class of animals. Its popular title is the Common 

 Brittle-star, indicative of the inherent fragility of the 

 species, as also of their prevalent appearance at the 

 sea-shore ; but, though so exceedingly ' common/ 

 we must at the same time in justice add, that the 0. 

 rosula exceeds in beauty many other species which 

 are rare, and consequently more highly prized by 

 the collector. 



It is very abundant on all parts of the British 

 coast, and is often found in clusters upon the stems 

 of L. digitata, and as frequently upon the under 

 side of boulders. In dredging, the Brittle-star is 

 an unfailing prize. It is a marvellous sight when 

 the scrapings of the ocean bed are spread out upon 

 the dredging-board for examination, to see hundreds 

 of these singularly delicate creatures twisting and 

 twining about in all directions, over each other's 

 bodies, through the weed, sand, shells, and mud, and 

 strewing fragments of their snake-like arms upon 

 every surrounding object. 



At the mere mention of ' Star-fishes/ the most 

 uninitiated reader will at once realize in his mind's 



