Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.] [Milford-on-Sea.
PRICKLY SEA-CUCUMBER.
This species of bêche-de-mer commands a high price in China, and makes delicious soup.
In the matter of colour-ornamentation the Star-fish group is richly endowed. Allusion to the brilliant crimson and pink-and-white tints of the British sun star-fish has been already made. As with most animal groups, however, it is amid their tropical representatives that the most striking colour-variations obtain. One form which is common among the coral-reefs on the Queensland coast-line, and much resembles the common British "five-fingers" in size and shape, is brilliant ultramarine-blue. Another large pentagonal species, belonging to the group known as Cushion-stars, has a golden-brown ground, upon which are thickly scattered small bead-like tubercles of turquoise. A third form, not uncommon on the Tasmanian coast-line, which is nearly related to the Bird's-foot species, previously mentioned, is distinguished by tints which range through several shades of crimson to brilliant violet.
Not a few of the star-fishes are notable for their eminent phosphorescent properties. The group of the Snake-armed and Brittle-stars are more especially distinguished in this respect. Many of these species occur in such numbers in comparatively deep water that the dredge may be filled with a tangled mass of their writhing snake-armed bodies. Should it be night when the dredge is brought aboard, and its contents are emptied upon the deck, the spectacle presented as the star-fishes scramble in all directions, their bodies and arms aglow with pale green or blue phosphoric coruscations, is highly remarkable.
Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.] [Milford-on-Sea.
BLACK SEA-CUCUMBER.
This photograph was taken through the water in a coral-pool. A large clam-shell, with its expanded fringe of tentacles, is close beside the sea-cucumber.