COMATULA ROSACEA. 331 



colour dotted with brown may serve to give us an idea of the 

 beauty of the submarine landscapes where Pentacrinus Wyville- 

 Thom8oni or Bathycrinus gracilis abound. During the earlier 

 stage of its existence, the comatula is attached to a stalk ; a dis- 

 covery for which science is indebted to Mr. T. V. Thompson, who 

 in 1823 dredged in the Cove of Cork a singular little pedunculated 

 crinoid animal {Pentacrvnus europceus),which he found attached 

 to the stems of zoophytes. It measured about three-fourths of 

 an inch in height, and resembled a minute comatula mounted on 

 the stalk of a pentacrinus. When this pygmy representative 

 of the ancient lily-stars was first dragged up from its submarine 

 haunts, it created a great sensation among naturalists, as it was 

 the first recent animal of the encrinite kind which had ever 

 been seen in the seas of Europe. At first it was supposed to be 

 a distinct species, but Mr. Thompson, by carefully following it 

 through all the stages of its growth, succeeded in proving that 

 it was merely the hitherto unnoticed young of the rosy feather- 

 star. 



This elegant crinoid is found all round our coasts, and its 

 range extends from Norway to the shores of the Mediterranean. 

 In swimming, the movements of its arms exactly resemble the 

 alternating stroke given by the medusa to the liquid element, 

 and have the same effect, causing the animal to raise itself from 

 the bottom and to advance back foremost, even more rapidly 

 than the medusa. When dying, either in fresh water or in 

 Bpirits, it emits a most beautiful purple colour, which tinges 

 the liquid in which it is killed. 



The Ophiuridce, or snake-stars, are essentially distinguished 

 from the true star-fishes by the long serpent or worm-like 

 arms, which are appended to their round, depressed, urchin- 

 like bodies. They have no true suckers with which to walk, 

 their progression being effected (and with great facility) by 

 the twisting or wriggling of their arms, which are moreover 

 in many species furnished with spines on the sides, assisting 

 locomotion over a flat surface. These arms are very different 

 from those of the true star-fishes, which are lobes of the 

 animal's body, whereas the arms of the Ophiuridse are mere 

 processes attached or superadded to the body. 



These animals are very generally distributed through the 

 seas of our earth, both of its northern and southern hemi- 



