..eflentially diftinft from either. The very entire and beautiful fpecimen of the Star no^ 
under confideration, was brought over with the above, and is in a complete ftate 0 
prefervation. It is fo much fo, indeed, that its fpreading rays, or tentacula, diverg e 
and extend to a degree of inimitable finenefs ; curling like the tendrils of the vino 
they branch out into fibres fo exceedingly numerous and fmall, as fcarcely can admit 1 
any perfedt reprefentation. Were it attempted fully to exprefs the number and m 1 ' 
nutenefs of the extremities of thefe once animated threads, it would unavoidably 
perplex the drawing and mar its effeft, and after all, perhaps, give no adequate lde* 
of the fubjedt. But the reprefentation of the plate, though necefifarily deficient in th e 
number and fmallnefs of the extremities of the fibres, yet is perfectly fufficient to g ive 
a diitindt idea of the nature and form of this fingular animal. 
It being the appointment of Nature that this Star fliould have a fixed refidentO 
it therefore does does not travel about in fearch of food, as do others of the g en ’ jS j 
but quietly lies in wait for its prey; it is therefore endowed with this fo ample fp re3L 
of fcnfitive fibres, to give it a larger fphere of water within its grafp, and by that m eal15 
multiply its chances of obtaining fuch articles as may fupply it with adequate nourid 1 ' 
ment. By means of thefe long (lender filaments, which are its tentacula, an animal djC 
fize of that in the plate (which is nearly the fize of the one from which it was copi e > 
in its full expanded ftate, will diffufe itfelf through a circle of water feveral feet dia- 
meter : and it is not only the extremities of the rays by which it can lay hold on 
fifties, or any nutrimental atoms floating by ; but all along the edges of thefe branch’ 11 ^ 
fibres, there are double rows of fhort thick-fet briftles, hirfute on the fides, by vm lC 
means every part of every ray has an adhefive quality, that is capable of detain 11 ^ 
any foft fubftance, until, by the application of the extremities of the tentacula, 
brought into the central mouth ; and thus are its legion of arms perpetually engag^ 
in adminiftering to the common receptacle of nouriftiment which fuftains the comp 
cated fyftem. _ _ s 
The wonderful fenfe and penetration that pervades thofe living fibres, and end 
every part of each with capacities of difcernment, fo efiential to the prefervation a ' n 
flourifhing ftate of the whole, refolves into the phenomena of that infcrutable 0 ^ 
which informs all animated being ; and of which the authors of language have help e ^ 
us to evade the folution, by fubftituting in its place the comprehenfive exprelfi 011 
inftind. e . 
The idea of creative beauty, difclofing its marvellous energies in thofe unfe # 1 
gions of the deep fo far removed from the human eye, leaves fuch imprefiions of c ' j 
univerfal influence, fo apparently difplayed, yet felt fo incomprehenfible, as baffl eS ^ 
conjecture of the fyftem’s origin and end. We need not therefore wonder, that 
greateft philofophers in every age have been confefledly bewildered and loft in 1 ' 
tery, when feeking to difcover the unattainable Secret of the univerfe. 
