126 



FIVE-FINGER STAR-FISH. 



fish " in the present case, and jelly-fish" in a 

 succeeding chapter. 



Every one has heard of star-fish, and most 

 people have seen them, either in a preserved 

 state, or as they appear when thrown up by 

 the waves. There are very many British species 

 of star-fishes, but out of them I have chosen 

 three, as types, to which, indeed, most of the 

 species can be referred. The commonest of the 

 British star-fishes is the Five-finger (Uraster 

 ruhens) ; for a figure of which see plate l, fig. 4. 

 There are few days when some of these creatures 

 are not cast on the shore, and there left by the 

 retiring tide, so that their habits and anatomy 

 may be easily studied. Generally they appear to 

 be dead, and, indeed, sometimes are so ; but their 

 apparent death is often but quiescence, and if 

 they are placed in sea-water they become lively 

 in a very short time. 



If a star-fish is thus rescued, and laid in a 

 shallow rock-pool, where its movements can be 

 watched, it will give ample food for contem- 

 plation, were it only for the mode in which it 

 moves from one place to another. This move- 

 ment is very slow, gentle, and so regular, that 

 the eye cannot detect any motive power at work. 

 Should a stone, a ridge of rock, or any other 



