THE 
BRANCHED ASTERIAS, 
OR 
MEDUSEAN STAR-FISH. 
Generic Character. 
Body deprefled; covered with a coriaceous cruft, 
muricated with tentacula. 
Mouth central, with five valves. 
Specific Character , &c. 
ASTERIAS, with regularly-divided and fubdivi¬ 
ded branches, and deprefted mouth. 
MEDUSA-HEAD STAR-FISH. 
BASKET STAR-FISH. 
The Afterke or fea-flars, as they are generally called, 
form a very numerous and wonderful genus of marine 
animals. The feveral fpecies differ greatly in appear¬ 
ance from each other: the greater number a;e of a 
ftellated form, and are divided into five rays or pro- 
ceffes; others are divided into a much greater number 
of rays, as ten, and thirteen. Some fpecies are frnooth, 
fome tuberculated, others prickly. The fpecies which 
of all others is moft worthy of admiration is that called 
the Caput Medufie, or Medufa’s Head Star-filh: this 
very 
