206 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



embracing in its ample folds the helpless bivalve, and 

 perhaps at the same time instilling some torpifying 

 fluid ; for the shells of the poor victim seized soon 

 open, and it then becomes an easy prey. 



All the race of Star-fishes are extremely subject to 

 mutilation of their rays; of their full complement, 

 many have four, others three, two, and some only one 

 remaining. Such mutilation does not appear to be 

 incident either to size or age, but takes place alike in 

 old and in young specimens, and, what is more, it is 

 in both equally succeeded by complete reproduction 

 of the lost parts. 



On the 10th of June a single ray was picked up 

 by Sir John Dalyell, which had either separated from 

 an entire specimen or was the residue of one that had 

 lost all the other parts. It showed no symptoms of 

 reproduction at the time, but, on the 15th, the rudi- 

 ments of four additional rays were indicated by four 

 nipple-like prominences projecting about the sixteenth 

 of an inch from the broader end. Next evening one 

 of these had acquired nearly double the size; the 

 others were less advanced ; but a smaU orifice a new 

 mouth was forming in the centre of the group : the 

 work of reproduction now proceeded vigorously, and, 

 after two or three days longer, the animal again 

 consisted of five rays, four of which were of pigmy 

 dimensions when compared with their giant associate. 

 After the lapse of another month, the original ray 

 fell to pieces, leaving the newly formed body sur- 

 rounded only by the four newly developed rays. This 

 was a singular accident, as by it the animal became 

 once more symmetrical and all young again ; nothing 



