42 
ZOOLOGY. 
Fio. H.—Antedofiy stalked and free. 
attached to rocks; stalked when young, it eventually be- 
comes free. 
Class 11. — Asteroidea. 
General Characters of Star-fishes. — The star-fishes in- 
clude the snake- or sand-star (Fig. 42), and the common 
five-finger, Asterias vulgaris (Fig. 43). This and the allied 
varieties are abundant on mussel and oyster beds, being 
very injurious to the latter, 
which serve them as food. 
The star-fish projects its 
capacious stomach between 
the open valves of the oy- 
\^ ster, and sucks in the soft 
^ parts, in this way doing 
much damage to the oyster- 
beds of the southern coast 
of New England. 
All star-fishes grow from 
eggs. After swimming 
about as a little ciliated 
sack (gastrula), arms grow out, and it appears much as in 
Fig. 45. 
Fia. 42.— Sand-star. Natural size. 
