A history of british Starfishes and other animals of the Class Echinodermata - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1840 Excerpt: ...equestris V in his papers on the Radiate Animals of Ireland, in the ninth volume of the Magazine of Natural History. The specimen there mentioned was "found by James Grimshaw, Esq. in Belfast Loch;" it was thrown ashore after a storm. Mr. Gray showed me specimens in the British Museum obtained by Dr. Leach in Plymouth Sound. As long ago as 1819, Mr. Ball obtained several specimens from the Nymph Bank, off Waterford. They were brought up on long lines. Dr. Coldstream found it some years ago in Bute. Mr. Smith, of Jordan Hill, has taken it by dredging near the same island, and also in Lamlash Bay, in the island of Arran. Mr. Philip Maclagan found it on the coast of Ayrshire, and Dr. Pollexfen on the shores of Orkney. I have dredged it frequently on the north-western coast of the Isle of Man, where it lives among scallops in deep water. I do not think it has been observed on the eastern coast as yet. The Asterias pulvillus of Muller, Zoologia Danica, tab. xci. nearly resembles this Cushion-star. The attitude there drawn is frequently presented by our animal when alive. The form of the tessellae on the under surface is, however, so different that I dare not venture to consider the species identical with ours, especially as the tessellae are of specific importance in this genus. Professor Agassiz informs me that Dr. Fleming's specimen of his Asterias irregularis is this species. Specific Character.--Body above and below covered with mammiform tubercular spines. This Cushion-star is one of the rarest and most beautiful of our native Starfishes. It was first figured as British by Mr. Sowerby in the British Miscellany, from a specimen "found by James Brodie, Esq. in February 1806, on the coast near Brodie House," in the north of Scotland. Profes...