RENOVATION OF MUTILATED STAR-FISHES. 207 



remained disproportionate or offensive to the eye, and 

 the renovated Star-fish entered vigorously upon its 

 new career. 



From the aversion of the fishermen to all sorts of 

 star-fish, both large and small, they were formerly 

 wont to rend them asunder, and commit their lace- 

 rated bodies to the waves with what result the reader 

 can easily imagine. It is said that they are now 

 grown wiser, and on discovering their purpose to be 

 defeated by the extraordinary reproductive energies 

 of their victims, are content to cast them on the 

 shore, and leave them there to perish. Certainly their 

 old plan of tearing every Cross-fish they got hold of 

 into two or three pieces, each capable of regenerating 

 all its missing parts, was anything but a way to dimi- 

 nish their numbers. 



And here, methinks, the reader will expect us to 

 write a vehement philippic against such wanton de- 

 struction of Star-fishes, and such a puerile display of 

 impotent vengeance on the part of the fishermen : 

 assuredly our pen, ever ready in defence of the per- 

 secuted victims of ignorance, was just preparing itself 

 for the task, but will it be credited? we really 

 sympathize with the fisherman, and scarcely have the 

 heart to censure a man for losing his temper, at last, 

 after patiently enduring reiterated insult and provo- 

 cation ; yes, it would have tried the patience of Job 

 to have been plagued as those poor fishermen are by 

 the ubiquitous " five fingers " or " devil fingers," as 

 some of them are pleased to call them. It is not 

 about the oysters that fishermen trouble themselves 

 that is a mere excuse it is a downright personal 



