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At the solicitations of his cousins, however, and following their example, Fred soon had several dull, dumpy-looking discs in his jar. But now their attention was called to Mr Inglis, who had found a specimen of the brittle star-fish, which soon showed its right to the name by throwing off a couple of ray-like arms.
She could not content herself indoors much of the time, and almost won for. herself again the sobriquet of "Wild Jennie," for she would often disappear directly after breakfast, going off on long tramps to return hours later, laden with a promiscuous assortment of shells, stones, star-fish and other curiosities with which she lavishly adorned her own room and various other portions of the house.
We at length reached the spot I had proposed, a small sandy bay, with cliffs on either side, out of which bubbled a stream of sparkling cold water, with rocks running out into the sea. "This will do capitally," said Harry. "See, the whole beach is covered with beautiful shells, and there may be sea anemones and echini, and star-fish, and all sorts of marine creatures."
If we come now to consider the more partial phosphorescence of the sea, we find that it is due to animals belonging to almost every group of marine forms to Echinoderms, or creatures of the sea-urchin and star-fish type, to Annelid worm, to Medusidæ, or jelly-fish, as they are popularly called, including the "great domes" and the "silvery disks" of the passage above quoted from Professor Martin Duncan, to Tunicates, among which is the Pyrosoma, to Mollusks, Crustaceans, and in very many cases to Actinozoa, or forms belonging to the type of the sea anemone and the coral polyp.
Though it seems so apparently lifeless, the star-fish can be quite aggressive when pressed by hunger, having, as naturalists tell us, a mysterious way of causing the oyster to open its shell, when it proceeds gradually to consume the body of the bivalve.
In vain did Sammy ask questions, and put forth his best conversational powers; in vain did the Star-Fish attempt to conceal his identity by hiding in the mud, the cautious oysters were not to be fooled, and finally, much put out, the two companions were obliged to retire unsatisfied. "It's all my fault," grumbled the Star-Fish, as they moved slowly away.
Besides the star-fish there occur abundance of those peculiar bodies called Cystideae. They are the Sphaeronites of old authors, and were considered by Professor E. Forbes as intermediate between the crinoids and echinoderms. With it have been found several other genera of the same family, such as Sphaeronites, Hemicosmites, etc.
I have known a girl with a magnificent voice who endured great hardships for a musical education, and who finally accomplished her purpose and enchanted the world with her singing. She was happy. Of course everybody expected her to be. But I have known another girl, equally happy, carefully working in the laboratory to find the water-tubes of a star-fish or the nerves of a clam.
I do not believe he hurt him; but the star-fish gradually relaxed his hold, and fell slowly and helplessly on to his back; on which the dragonet looked as silly as the Sultan of Casgar's purveyor when the hunchback fell beneath his blows. Another dragonet came hastily up to see what was the matter; but prudently made off again, and left the star-fish and his neighbour as they were.
Passing behind the Conservatory and down the Eastern Arcade in which will be arranged algae, sponges, mollusca, star-fish, worms used for bait, insects which destroy spawn or which serve as food for fish, etc. on turning to the left, we find ourselves in the fish market, which will probably vie with the aquaria on the other side in attracting popular attention.
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