COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SHORE. 295 



When we think of the immense strata of En- 

 crinite marble which in some regions, as in Derby* 

 shire, are composed of these innumerable lily-stars, 

 showing that our seas must once have been full of 

 them, it seems strange that stalked star-fishes 

 should now be so rare. Once they clung by their 

 long stems to the rocks down deep in the blue 

 seas, and firmly fixed there, spread out their 

 fringed flower-like arms to entrap the living nutri- 

 ment afforded by the waters. Perhaps, like the 

 modern tribe of star-fishes, they were the scaven- 

 gers of the sea ; but we have no means of knowing 

 whether they were at any time enabled to free 

 themselves from their stalk, and glide about in the 

 deep. One beautiful stalked star-fish alone re- 

 mains, and this is affixed to a stalk only at an 

 early period of its existence. The lovely Feather 

 Star (Comatula rosacea) is found attached to the 

 stems of sea-weeds and corallines, and is a bright 

 rose-coloured animal, much resembling a flower, 

 but not, while in this condition, more than half or 

 three quarters of an inch in height. 



But this lovely object is not one of the common 

 tilings of the sea-shore, though various other species 

 of star-fish are among the most frequent and fa- 

 miliar of all the things to be seen there. Commonest 

 of all, is that star-fish known on the coast by the 

 name of Five-fingered Jack, because its rays are 

 usually five in number, though in some instances 

 it has six. This animal (Uraster rubens) is on 

 some parts of our coast termed the Common Cross- 

 fish, and the people of Cornwall call it Clam, or 

 Clamp. It is so abundant as to be sometimes col- 

 lected for manure, and well may it be so, for one 

 single star-fish will produce a thousand of its pro- 



