92 



LIFE, IN ITS LOWER FORMS. 



Now the " beads" are nothing more than the joints of 

 which the stem of the Encrinite is composed, and the 

 Encrinite itself is the fossil skeleton of an ancient Star- 

 fish. The abundance of these animals in the primeval 

 seas may be inferred from the profusion of their remains ; 

 vast strata of marble, extending over large regions in the 

 northern parts of both hemispheres, being made up of 

 these " lily-stones," as absolutely, to use the graphic simile 

 of the late Professor Buckland, " as a corn-rick is composed 

 of straws." 



The form, however, is as rare now as it was anciently 

 common. Some years ago a fine specimen in a living 

 state was brought up by the dredge in the Caribbean Sea; 

 and as the stem was violently torn asunder, the basal por- 

 tion being wanting, it is inferred that the base is immove- 

 ably fixed to the rock like a sea-weed. With the excep- 

 tion of a few fragments found on divers occasions, and 

 carefully treasured in national museums, this is the only 

 recent specimen of any considerable size w T hich has been 

 seen. But a minute kind has been ascertained to inhabit 

 our own seas, a tiny Encrinite about three-quarters of an 

 inch in length. It is described as bearing " five pairs of 

 beautifully pinnated arms, and as of a deep rose-colour, 

 dotted over with brown spots, which are regarded as the 

 ovaries. It is dredged up," observes Mr Patterson, " on 

 many parts of the Irish coast, and is occasionally found 

 upon the strand. The first specimen we ever possessed 

 was taken on the beach about six miles from Belfast, and 

 was brought to that town alive. Anxious to secure so 

 attractive a specimen for the cabinet, we placed it in a 

 shallow vessel of fresh water, and found, to our surprise, 



