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ASTERIAD.E OF THE IRISH SEA 



BY 



EDWARD FORBES, Esq., M. W. S., &c. 



No class of animals has been more neglected than the 

 Echinodermata. Although forming a most important di- 

 vision of the great sub-kingdom Radiata ; and though the 

 singularity and beauty of their forms and colours have long 

 attracted attention, little, very little, has been done towards 

 distinguishing species, defining genera, and ascertaining 

 the relations of the various forms one to another. In 

 many parts of Zoology our knowledge of species is in ad- 

 vance of our knowledge of structure : in this our know- 

 ledge of structure is in advance of our knowledge of species. 

 The anatomy of a common star-fish is well known, but few 

 are able to tell the zoological relations of the commonest. 

 Turning over the leaves of our manuals will give us but 

 little information ; it is almost impossible to decide cer- 

 tainly on the species of a star-fish, by means of any book 

 with which I am acquainted. Vague indications of form 

 and colour are all we find in works on the subject ; no two 

 descriptions coincide ; on one point only do authors agree, 

 viz. in referring us to the figures of Link for a solution of 

 our difficulties. And what do we find on referring to Link 

 — a rare book, by the bye, which is seldom within our 

 reach ? We find that scarcely two authors agree as to 



