83 



STARFISHES. 



GENUS ASTERrAS:— first section, the margin of the body 

 with fire angles. Cake Starfishes. 



THIN STARFISH. A. Cartilaginea. Fleming's Br, A., 

 p. 485. A. Placenta, Pennant, pi. 31, fig. 590. Common, 

 in rather deep water. 



GIBBOUS STARFISH. A. Gibbosa. Fleming's Br. A., 

 p. 487. Borlase's Nat. H. Corn., pi. 25, fig. 25, 26. Com- 

 mon, in pools left by the tide. 



JOHNSTON'S STARFISH. A.Johnstonii. Loudon's Mag. 

 Nat. H., vol. 9, p. 146, but there represented with only four 

 angles. It seems as yet uncertain whether this be the same 

 as the A. Equestris, Flem. Br. An., p. 486. I have seen 

 only one specimen; but this and other species would pro- 

 bably be found abundant, if the contents of the Trawl net 

 were more frequently examined. 



Second section : the body divided into rays. 



PALE RED STARFISH. A. Rubens. Fleming's Br. A., 

 p. 486. Pennant, pi. 30, fig. 58. Common. 



MANYRAYED STARFISH. A. Papposa. Fleming's Br. 

 A., p. 487. Loudon's Mag. Nat. H., vol. 9, p. 475. Rare 

 within mv observation. 



CLAM STARFISH. A. Glacialis. Fleming's Br. A., p. 

 487. Abundant in the early mouths of spring, but they 

 retire to deeper water in summer. 



SPINY STARFISH. A. Spinosa. Fleming's Br. A., p. 

 487. Borlase's Nat. H., Cornwall. 



DOTTED STARFISH. A. Oculata Fleming's Br. A., p. 



487. Pennant, pi. 30, fig. 56. Not uncommon. 

 GENUS OPH1URA— Snake Starfishes. 

 GRANULAR SNAKE STAR. Granulata. Fleming's 



Br. An. p. 448. Loudon's Mag. Nat. H., vol. 8, p. 596. 

 LIZARD TAIL. 0. Bracteata. Fleming's Br. A., p. 488. 



Loudon's Mag. Nat. H., vol. 8, p. 466. 

 LONGARMED SNAKE STAR. O. Brachiata. Fleming's 



Br. A., p. 488. 

 DAISY SNAKESTAR. O. Bdlis. Fleming's Br. A., p. 



488. Loudon's Mag. Nat. H., vol. 8, p. 595. 

 BEADED SNAKESTAR. 0. Rosula. Fleming's Br. A. 



p. 489. Loudon's Mag. Nat. H., vol. 9, p. 231. 

 MINUTE SNAKESTAR. O. Neglecta. Loudon's Mag. 

 Nat. H., vol. 8, p. 467. 



The whole family of Starfishes, though seemingly sluggish 

 are \oracious, feeding mostly on shell fish, which they swallow 

 whole, and rejecting the shells when the animal has been di- 

 gested. It is scarcely to be imagined how they contrive to 

 swallow this prey, of the size sometimes found within them ; 



