APPENDIX. 201 



ties of these in shoal water. They are very delicate, 

 and should be carefully handled. 



Star-Fishes. — I have at times, found the beaches 

 covered with some of the common species, but the 

 best way to find them is to visit the rocks where they 

 occur at low tide; in favorable localities they may be 

 collected by thousands. The larger species occur on 

 flats, while some are only to be obtained by dredging. 

 Some species shed their arms quite easily ; these should 

 either be kept in salt water, or thrown at once into al- 

 cohol. Indeed, all species are best kept in water until 

 they assume a form in which they are to be dried; 

 then they should be instantly plunged into strong 

 alcohol, where they must remain for at least twenty- 

 four hours. Then they may be removed and dried in 

 the shade. When quite dry, I have found it advan- 

 tageous to dip them into a solution of hot paraffine, 

 as this prevents their disintegrating, as they are sub- 

 ject to this trouble. 



Echinoderms, Sea-Urchins, cling to rocks, and 

 may be found at low water or dredged in deep water. 

 In killing them, observe the same precaution as prac- 

 tised in Star-fishes, and then treat them in the same 

 way. 



Sponges. — Those who are only familiar with the 

 dried and prepared skeletons of the sponges of com- 

 merce would be surprised to see one of these animals 

 in its native state ; indeed, I scarcely think the un- 

 initiated collector would recognize the accustomed 

 sponge in the gelatinous mass which grows on the 

 banks of the Florida Keys. Sponges are of various 

 forms, some of which are very beautiful. They are 

 also of varjdng colors. Some are exceedingly fragile, 

 while others are, when dry, as hard as wood. Some 

 are largely made up of siliceous matter; indeed, long, 



