THE SHETLAND ARGUS. 



735 



The Ophiuri are quite as voracious as the ordinary Star-fishes, and are able by 

 means of the long arms to convey food to the mouth, which is placed in the central disk. 

 The young of these Echinodermata are quite as curious as those of the sea-urchins, to 

 which indeed they bear some resemblance. They have long been known to naturalists 

 under the title of Easel animalcules, on account of their peculiar shape, their real origin 

 not being suspected until later years. It is totally unlike the form which it attains 

 when mature, and the relationship between the adult Star-fish and the Pluteus, as the 

 larva is termed, has been well compared to the relation of an embroidery frame to the 

 pictured canvas within. Both the species shown in this illustration are inhabitants of 

 the British seas. 



SHETLAND ARGUS. Astrophfton scutatum. 



THE wonderful creature which is called by the name of SHETLAND ARGUS is one of a 

 most remarkable genus of Star-fishes, which are remarkable for the vast development 

 of their arms. 



Although the whole mass of arms is of so complicated a description, it will be found, 

 on carefully examining the creature, to be formed by the simple process of twofold 

 division. From the central disk spring five stout arms, each of which almost immedi- 

 ately divides into two smaller arms, and these again into two others ; so that in a fine 

 specimen the number of little arms or tendrils, if we may so call them, exceeds eighty 

 thousand. All these organs are extremely flexible, and quite under the control of the 

 animal, which is able to close or expand them at will. When the extremities of the 

 arms are drawn together, it will be seen that the whole animal assumes the shape of a 

 globular basket ; and in consequence of this resemblance, the name of Basket-urchin, 

 or Sea-basket, has been proposed for the creature. 



