THE ARBORESCENT STAR-FISH. 5^3 



been found above 1500 in number: and, when the 

 Star-fish are thrown on their backs, these may be 

 observed to be pushed out and withdrawn in the 

 same manner as snails do their horns. The progres- 

 sive motion of the Star-fish, which is with their rays, 

 is very slow: and by the undulation of these they 

 are enabled to swim. They possess considerable 

 powers of reproduction : for if, by any violence, a 

 ray is broken off, for most of them are very brittle, 

 in the course of a short time a new one will appear. 

 The mouth is armed with bony teeth, that are used 

 in seizing and breaking the shells an which the ani- 

 mals feed : from hence a canal extends to each of 

 the rays, runs through the whole length, and becomes 

 gradually narrower as it approaches the extremity. 



If the Star- fish are drowned in brandy or spirits of 

 wine, and the rays be kept flat and expanded during 

 the time, it is easy afterward to extract, by means 

 of a pair of forceps, the stomach and intestinesentire 

 through the mouth. This information may be of 

 use to those who wish to preserve specimens of them, 

 and were not previously possessed of it. 



THE ARBORESCENT STAR-FISH*. 



This extremely singular species is occasionally 

 found in most seas, but never in any great number 

 It has five equi-distant, thickly jointed processes pro- 

 ceeding from its centre, each of which is divided into 

 two other small ones, and each of these into two 



* Svnon'yms.— Asterias Medusse. Lifts. MagelJaoic Stsr 



fibh. Basket-fish. Branched Asterias. Medusa Star-fish. 



