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240 Brittle-stars come up in pecks or bushels rather than in scores or hundreds), and have had plenty of examples of disjointed members, I have never found it prevail to such an extent as to prevent my preserving almost with certainty any specimen I wished, without particular precautions. And certainly they are charming occupants of an Aquarium: the extreme variety of colouring displayed by them,—I speak of the most abundant species, the Rosette (O. rosula)—and the gorgeousness of the hues frequently presented, orange, yellow, crimson, purple, blue, white; often arranged in alternate angular bands; catch the eye of the most indifferent in a moment: while the exquisitely sculptured spines that profusely fringe each ray, and the many-sided and variously-formed, but perfectly regular and symmetrical scales and plates, that clothe the disk and the rays on both surfaces, elicit our admiration when we examine them more closely. (See Plate IV.)

Professor Forbes is "doubtful, however, whether Uraster (the common Starfish, Crossfish or Five-finger) has the power of throwing off its rays voluntarily, as is the case with Luidia and the Ophiuræ." I have had evidence that it has, and that not in the case of U. glacialis, in which species these organs are acknowledged to be fragile, but in the Common Crossfish (U. rubens).

A specimen of this latter about five inches in diameter, that had been dredged in Weymouth harbour, was crawling tranquilly up the glass side of my large tank. Several hours had elapsed since it was put in, and it had appeared quite at home, and was as lively