very curious animal is firft divided into five equidiftanc, 

 thickly-jointed procefies, each of which is foon fub- 

 divided into two other fmaller ones, and each of thefe, 

 at a fomewhat farther diftance, into two others ftill 

 fmaller : this mode of regular fubdivifion is continued 

 to a vaft extent, and in the molt beautiful gradation of 

 minutenefs, till at length the number of the extreme 

 ramifications amounts to feveral thoufands. By this 

 mod curious ftructure the animal becomes as it were a 

 living net, and may well deferve the title of rete mir&hile, 

 and is capable of catching fuch creatures as are by na- 

 ture deftined for its prey, by the fuddert contraction 

 of all its innumerable ramifications, by which the un- 

 fortunate object is i ecu red beyond all poffibility of 

 efcape. The fea-ftars have a very considerable degree 

 of reproductive power, and if injured by accidental 

 violence, or if one or more of their limbs or branches 

 be torn or cut off, the creature will in time be furnifhed 

 with new ones. They wander about the ocean, parti- 

 cularly near the mores, in quell of food, and prey not 

 only on the fofier animals, but even on the fmaller 

 iheli-fim ; and are armed for this purpofe with hard 

 and (harp teeth, rcfembling prickles, and li mated in a 

 circular form, with the points converging towards the 

 opening of the mouth, and differing in number in the 

 different fpecies. The fpecies here reprefented is not 

 uncommon in moft feas, and is frequently found in the 

 Mediterranean. In colour it varies, being fometimes 

 pale, or red dim white, and fometimes of a br > •• n, 

 more or iefs intenfe. The Afteriae in general are vivi- 

 parous ? animals.. 



