Fish Commission, by Henry C, Rowe, it 

 is stated that in 1882 $90,000 worth of 

 oysters were destroyed in six months 

 and $9,000 were spent in the same period 

 in catching the starfishes. The method 

 of catching these animals is interesting. 

 Devices called "tangles" and ''mops" 

 are used. These consist of a heavy iron 

 frame, to which about twenty small 

 ropes, ending in a large bunch of cotton 

 waste, are fastened. These ''mops" are 

 drawn over the oyster beds and the star- 

 fishes become entangled in the waste and 

 are then drawn on board the vessel. As 

 many as 1,500 starfish have been taken 

 from a single "mop." 



The following account, published in 

 the Evening Register, of New Haven, 

 Conn., April 3, 1884, will serve as an 

 example of the destructive habits of these 

 animals: "It was reported yesterday 

 that between November i, 1883, and the 

 close of navigation in December, there 

 were caught on oyster beds adjoining 

 the Bridgeport public beds about 15,000 

 bushels of starfish. Since October i they 

 have destroyed over 900 acres. From 

 six to ten steamers have been catching 

 starfish during the past six months, at 

 an expense of $5,000." 



When oystermen first knew of the de- 

 struction caused by the starfishes, they 

 spent much time and labor in collecting 

 the injurious animals, cutting off an arm 

 or two and then throwing the mutilated 

 body and dismembered arms back into 

 the water, not knowing that the arms 

 would grow out again. The animals are 

 now collected and used as a fertilizer. 

 The interesting power of reproducing 

 lost arms is well illustrated on the plate, 

 the individual figured having one perfect 

 arm and four new ones just starting to 

 grow. 



The method of eating among some of 

 the common starfishes is curious. When 

 the shell of an oyster is too large to be 

 swallowed, the starfish actually projects 

 its stomach from its mouth, surrounds 

 the shell with this everted organ, and 

 digests its prey in this position. The 

 sight presented in an aquarium by a 

 number of these animals in this attitude 

 is truly wonderful and odd. Another in- 

 teresting performance of a member of 

 this group is that of righting itself when 



placed on its back. This is performed in 

 the following manner: One or more- of 

 the rays is twisted about until the suck- 

 ing feet get a firm hold on the ground or 

 the object upon which it is resting; this 

 is followed by a succession of similar 

 movements farther back in the row of 

 ambulacra, so that the whole ray is finally 

 twisted around and lies flat on the 

 ground. The other arms then turn in a 

 similar manner and the starfish is soon 

 "right side up." 



Though hidden away in dark corners 

 of the sea, the starfish is able to see, being 

 quite well supplied with visual organs. 

 The end of each ray is sHghtly turned up 

 and at its summit is situated a little red 

 eye. A long nerve extends from this eye- 

 spot to the ring of nerve matter which 

 surrounds the mouth. 



The Atlantic and Pacific coasts abound 

 in several species of interesting starfishes, 

 several of which are illustrated on the 

 plate. The most numerous of these is 

 the common five-finger (Asterias for- 

 besii), found abundantly on the shores 

 of the New England states. This ani- 

 mal loves to hide among the rocks and 

 seaweed, and a search at low tide will 

 alv/ays reveal a host of them. Along the 

 sandy shores of Narragansett Bay they 

 may be collected at low water among the 

 seaweed, where they feed upon bivalve 

 mollusks, such as cockles, arks and clams. 



One of the largest and handsomest of 

 the starfishes is the Giant Mountain 

 Starfish (Oreaster reticulatus), so com- 

 mon in the waters of the Bahama Islands. 

 This species attains a diameter of fifteen 

 or sixteen inches and is very high in the 

 center. Its upper surface is reticulated 

 by the crossing of the hard parts of the 

 skeleton, and beautiful ornaments may 

 be made by removing the softer parts 

 and leaving only the " skeleton, which 

 forms a peculiarly latticed framework. 

 This species is found on both sides of 

 the Atlantic ocean ; it is a common star- 

 fish in the West Indies, inhabits the 

 coast of the United States from Florida 

 to South Carolina and is abundant on 

 the shores of the Cape Verde Islands. 



The most common starfish of the Pa- 

 cific coast is the Ochre-colored Star- 

 fish (Asterias ochracea), which ranges 

 from Sitka, Alaska, to San Diego, Cali- 



36 



