164 COMMITTEE’S ADDRESS. 
describes the appearance and peculiarities of some of the com- 
moner seeds, as chickweed, cowslip, primrose, hemp, &c.; 
beautiful and excellent drawings of these, illustrated the paper, 
and he concluded by offering his assistance to any of our mem- 
bers who may feel inclined to take up the subject. 
Mr. Richard Howse, then made some remarks on the con- 
tinued progress of the southward march of Acmea testudinalis, 
and he was followed by Mr. E. C. Robson, who dwelt at some 
length on the Botany of the district. 
Mr. George Hodge exhibited a series of the rarer star-fish, 
Ophiura texturata, and O. albida, Ophiocoma rosula, O. bellis, O. 
neglecta, O. Goodsiri, and Uraster glacialis, observing that the latter 
species has not before been recorded as a native of our coast; and is 
elsewhere considered a comparatively rare species, adding ‘‘my im- 
pression however, is that it will be found of frequent occurrence, 
and that the reason why other observers have not recorded its 
capture, may be traced to the fact that fishermen as a class, have 
a very great aversion to starfish, on account of their taking the 
baited hooks, and thus preventing fish being caught, and out of 
revenge, the fishermen tear the poor star-fish asunder when caught, 
and then throw them over-board; the collector therefore seldom 
has the chance of obtaining a specimen from the fishing boats, 
and being only found in moderately deep water, no other oppor- 
tunity presents itself. This is very likely to happen with U. gla- 
cialis, as from its resemblance to commoner forms, the fishermen 
naturally imagine that nothing can be got for so common a crea- 
ture, and consequently do not save them. This species attains 
a very large size, I have frequently taken specimens measuring 
fourteen inches from the tip of one ray, to that of the one opposite. 
A peculiar feature about it, not mentioned by Forbes, is the 
arrangement of the spinules or pedicellariz which in the living 
animal are placed round the summits of the dorsal and lateral 
spines, in a very elegant manner, producing a beautiful rosette, 
this appearance is not seen in a dried specimen.” Mr. Hodge 
next exhibited a specimen of the rare and interesting Uraster 
hispida captured at Seaham, specimens of which our local natura- 
lists have seldom had an opportunity of seeing. It differs 
