starfish (Asterias Sp.) 



Material. — Living specimens may be found almost 

 anywhere along the sea-shore adhering to rocks, timbers 

 of wharves, etc. It is best to collect them at low tide, 

 as then they are usually near the surface or possibly 

 above it; otherwise a dipping-net may be needed to 

 reach them. As the starfish lives only in salt water, it 

 may be difficult for students living far from the sea- 

 shore to procure living animals ; however, if packed in 

 an abundance of wet sea-weed and kept cool, living star- 

 fishes may be sent to inland schools if not more than ten 

 to twelve hours' ride from the coast. On arrival they 

 should at once be transferred to sea - water, which may 

 be sent in casks from the coast, or to artificial sea- water, 

 where they may live for several hours, and thus give 

 the student an opportunity to study their habits. The 

 water should be kept well aerated. This may easily be 

 done by repeatedly pouring from a height dipperfuls 

 of the water into the vessel containing the starfishes. 

 Specimens for dissection may be prepared in the fol- 

 lowing manner : The living animals should be dropped 

 into seventy per cent, to ninety per cent, alcohol imme- 

 diately after being taken out of the sea-water. The alco- 

 hol kills the animal almost immediately, and, as the rays 

 retain the various positions which they had just before 

 the death of the animal, it is well to select a series of 

 specimens which have the rays bent and curved in dif- 



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