118 



THE FAMILY AQUARIUM. 



hair-like horns, he steals along with a gentle motion — the 

 Grimalkin, as it were, of the Aquarium — his eyes glaring 

 intently around, as if watching for some hidden culprit. 

 His semi-transparent body, his wary movements, his un- 

 usual fashion of personal cleanliness, etc., all render him 

 a subject of entertaining observation. 



A few Star-fish (the Asterim) would be a fitting orna- 

 ment to a neat Aquarium. The animal of this genus is 

 well known, and may be had, by dredging, in great vari- 

 ety in New York bay and harbor. They are of all colors 

 and characters. Some have the power, when irritated, 

 of exploding thiemselves to pieces, and dying in this man- 

 ner (to speak irreverently) on a hust. Others, again, 

 have the Polypi capacity of reproducing whole animals 

 from any small portion broken off ; still others have the 

 power only of reproducing mutilated parts ; and still 

 others, if divided into as many fragments as there are 

 rays, provided a portion of the mouth be attached to 

 each, are able to create of each a perfect Star fish. These 

 creatures, like the Drill and the Spider Crab, are the 

 ravagers of the oyster-beds, and when caught are delibe- 

 rately trampled under foot, to crush any disposition they 

 may have to rise again remultiplied. They increase by 

 the internal formation of a species of bud, or gemma3, 

 which, when fully formed, are cast out by the parent to 



seek their fortune," and commence a voyage of discovery 

 at once to that end. They are tranquil-looking, appa- 

 rently respectable, old fogy " denizens of the great 



