Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 27.djvu/376

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360
THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

CURIOSITIES OF STAR-FISH LIFE.[1]

By FREDERIK A. FERNALD.

FOR a dozen years past, the eminent English zoölogist, who has become so widely known as an investigator of animal intelligence,

Fig. 1.—Upper Surface of a Star-fish {Astropecten). (From Cassells "Natural History.")

has spent his summers at the sea-side, studying several common forms of marine life. He compares a season's work of this kind Fig. 2.—Pedicellaræ (magnified).
(From Cassell's "Natural History.")
to a prolonged picnic, the pleasure of which is accompanied by a sense that no time is being profitlessly spent. Sailing about upon the sunny sea to dip up in muslin nets the creatures at the surface, steaming away far from shore to dredge for other material, and carrying on observations among the tanks and bell-jars of a neat little airy workshop, all have their charms. Even the necessity of devising makeshift apparatus, and of teaching unskilled hands how to help, adds to the enjoyment, as does the overcoming of similar obstacles in a pleasure-excursion. Dr. Romanes has devoted his attention mainly to jelly-fish, star-fish,

  1. The material and illustrations of this article are drawn from "Jelly-fish, Star-fish and Sea-urchins," by Dr. G. J. Romanes, the latest issue in the International Scientific Series.