SUN-STAR. 



133 



a variety of the common red five-finger. This 

 species, especially if large, is not very suitable 

 for an aquarium, and seldom survives for any 

 length of time. One individual that I tried to 

 domesticate had, for the last few days of its life, 

 a curious habit of resting merely on the points 

 of its rays, and elevating the disc in the centre, 

 so that it presented somewhat the aspect of a 

 five-legged table, the rays forming the legs and 

 the disc the table itself. 



There is another tolerably common species, 

 that is found on the shores, and is very different 

 from the Five-finger, being composed of a large 

 disc, with twelve short pointed rays proceeding 

 therefrom ; so that when a large specimen is seen 

 in scarlet splendour on a rock, it seems to blaze 

 out like the sun, and has accordingly been called 

 the Sun-star. It is not easily mistaken for any 

 other creature, but in order to make its recog- 

 nition easier, a figure of it will be found on 

 plate L, -fig. 5. Its scientific name is Solaster 

 papposa. Its usual colour is a bright red, 

 but it is often seen to be tinged with violet, 

 while in some specimens the rays are very 

 much paler than the disc, and one most singular 

 example has been recorded of a mixture of bright 

 green. 



