Book VII. 
KADIATA. 
THE STAK-FISH. (Asterias, or Uraster rubens.) 
This animal is often found adhering to rocks on the sea- 
shores. The common species is furnished with five rays, 
and is of a yellow or red colour. It has a slow progres- 
sive motion, and is often found on the beach among sea- 
weeds after a storm. 
Mr. Bingley describes an animal of this kind, which 
he kept by him for some time alive ; it had more than 
four thousand tentacula on the under sides of the rays. 
These it frequently retracted, and again pushed out, as a 
snail does its horns ; and by means of them it was ena- 
bled firmly to adhere to the dish containing the salt-water 
in which it was kept. Whenever he touched the tenta- 
cula with his finger, all those of that ray or limb were 
gradually withdrawn, but those of the other rays were 
not in the least affected by it. 
There are many other kinds of Star-fishes, especially 
in warm climates. Amongst our native species we may 
notice the Great Sun Star (Solaster pajpjposa) with a large 
disc and thirteen short rays; the Luidia fragilissima with 
five long rays, which it usually casts off' immediately on 
finding itself in danger, so as to render it a most diffi- 
cult matter to obtain perfect specimens of this species. 
The Feathered Star (Comatula rosacea) is also deserving of 
mention. — This is a small species, with the arms distinct 
from the body as in the last species and jointed, but fur- 
nished with numerous slender jointed tentacles which 
give them the appearance of plumes. There are ten of 
these arms and the number of little calcareous joints 
contained in them is most astonishing. The small cup- 
like body of the Feather Star bears other slender jointed 
appendages, by means of which- the creature clings to 
the rocks with its mouth and arms directed upwards ; 
and in the young state it is even supported on a jointed 
stalk, from which it eventually casts itself free. 
