THE 



BRANCHED ASTERIAS, 



OR 



ME DU SEAN STAR-FISH. 



Generic Character. 



Body depreffed ; covered with a coriaceous crufr, 



muricated with tentacula. 

 Mouth central, with five valves. 



■ 



Specific Character, &c. 



ASTERIAS, with regularly-divided and fubdivi- 

 ded branches, and depreffed mouth. 



MEDUSA-HEAD STAR-FISH. 



BASKET STAR-FISH. 



The Afteria? or fea-ftars, as they are generally called, 

 form a very numerous and wonderful genus of marine 

 animals. The feveral fpecies differ greatly in appear* 

 ance from each other: the greater number are of a 

 ftellated form, and are divided into five rays or pro- 

 cefles ; others are divided into a much greater number 

 of rays, as ten, and thirteen. Some fpecies are fmooth, 

 fome tuberculated, others prickly. The fpecies which 

 of all others is mod worthy of admiration is that called 

 the Caput Medufae, or Med u fa's Head Star-nlh : this 



very 



