298 COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SHORE. 



between the shells some torpifying fluid, which 

 deprives the oyster of strength, and soon compels 

 the prey to open its defences. The stomach of the 

 star-fish, now distended like a bladder, is pushed 

 in, and made to enwrap the oyster, which is soon 

 digested, even* in its own shell, and furnishes a 

 meal for its uncourteous visitor." 



Professor Forbes, too, considers it probable that 

 the star-fishes have some acrid stinging fluid, which, 

 like that of the sea anemone and sea nettles, serves 

 to stupify the prey. It is commonly said, that 

 this species possesses it in such power, as that 

 it will sting those persons who touch it. But this 

 is an assertion which may easily be disproved ; 

 as we may pick up hundreds on the shore, and 

 find them all harmless to the touch. Their great 

 destruction of oysters has been long attested ; 

 Bishop Sprat, in his " History of the Royal 

 Society," treating of the oyster, says, " There are 

 great penalties, by the Admiralty Court, laid upon 

 those that fish out of those grounds which the 

 Court appoints, or that destroy the Cultch, or that 

 take any oysters that are not of size, or that do 

 not tread under their feet, or throw upon the shore 

 a fish which they call a Five-finger, resembling a 

 spur rowel, because that fish gets into the oysters 

 when they gape open, and sucks them out/' 



Scarcely less frequent is the common sun-star 

 (Solaster papposa), which is much handsomer than 

 the cross-fish. It has usually ten or twelve, though 

 occasionally fifteen rays. It is commonly of a 

 reddish purple colour, but sometimes the centre 

 is red, and the rays are white, tipped with red and 

 white or straw-coloured beneath. Like the cross- 

 fish, it is found on oyster banks ; but it is fre- 



