ROBERTS — HIGH AND LOW LIFE. 



3 



friends the illustrious strangers received every courtesy and atten- 

 tion. But, as may be supposed, they were too precious to be re- 

 turned to the deep-sea home they had left, even supposing they 

 could have got there ; so were put in spirits, and consigned to 

 an immortality they little expected. One fine fellow, who clung con- 

 vulsively to the rope, was secured in situ, and is now a " lion" of 

 scientific London. 



"Here, then," says our author, "is a fresh starting-point in the 

 natural history of the sea. At a depth of nearly two miles below 

 the surface, where it is difficult to believe the most attenuated ray 

 of light can penetrate, we find a highly organized species of radiate 

 animal living, and evidently flourishing; its red and light-pink - 

 coloured tints as clear and brilliant as those seen in its congeners who 

 live where the sun's rays can penetrate freely. Differing in no respect 

 of internal anatomy from the species of Ojphiocomce inhabiting shallow 

 water, and evidencing, by their freedom of life and action, that cir- 

 culation of sea-water, digestion, assimilation, and reproduction were 

 carried on in their frames, unrestricted by the obstacles enumerated, 

 in addition to the simpler but no less essential operations of locomo- 

 tion and capture of food." In the alimentary cavity numerous Glo- 

 bigerina-shells were found, more or less freed from their soft sarcodal 

 contents. 



Now the Ophiuridge, to which division of star-fishes Ojpliiocoma be- 

 longs, differ from what are usually called true star-fishes of the well- 

 known stellate or angular forms, by the absence of protrusile 

 suckers as organs for effecting motion ; the want being in them sup- 

 plied by spine -covered arms, from which they derive the name of 

 " spinigrada." They have no power whatever of raising themselves 

 from the bottom, or of travelling in other fashion than as creeping, 

 crawling animals. Moreover, Professor E. Forbes has told us in his 

 "Monograph on the British Starfishes," that the Ophiuridae is a 

 more local family than starfishes proper, and more affected by 

 climatal causes. So that, though the discovery of any starfish under 

 the circumstances is wonderful enough, the marvel is increased ten- 

 fold by its being a Spinigrade form ; for as the point of capture 

 was five hundred miles from Greenland, and two hundred and fifty 

 from Iceland — Cape Farewell in the former, and the " Blinde Skier" 



