Agnes now found a specimen of the Star-fish, or five-fingers, a species of which she had often seen in Scotland; but she did not attempt to pick it up, as she remembered that one she found at Dunbar began to decay before she could reach the inn. She stood, however, looking at it, and her mother, who told her these Star-fishes were usually only caught in the Northern seas, made her remark its mouth, or rather the opening to its short bag-like stomach, which is placed in the very centre of the rays; and the numerous holes through which the creature could project its feet, having the power of shortening or extending them at pleasure, and also of adhering, by the flat disk at their base, to any substance it might be near; the part which may be called the sole of the foot, acting like a sucker. [Illustration: _Fig. 19._ THE STAR-FISH, OR FIVE-FINGERS (_Asterias glacialis_). ] “What poor helpless creatures these Star-fish seem to be!” said Agnes; “I wonder how they contrive to live, for they seem to have no means of catching anything.” “You will be surprised, then, to hear that they are accused of catching oysters; and that it is asserted in many books on natural history, that there was formerly a penalty inflicted by the Admiralty Court on every dredger who caught a Star-fish and did not kill it.” “But how could the poor Star-fish, with its soft body, attack an oyster, protected as it is by two strong shells?” “It was said to wait till the oyster gaped, and then to thrust one of its rays in between the valves to suck out the oyster.” “Oh, mamma!” cried Agnes, laughing; “how very stupid the oyster must have been not to shut its shell and crush the ray, instead of letting itself be sucked out!” “The story is as old as Aristotle; and, like many other stories told by the ancients, it has been handed down to our times, without any one, till lately, taking the trouble to examine whether it was true or false. I believe the fact is, that when oysters or any other molluscous animals become sickly, they are attacked by Star-fish and other similar creatures, just as a dying snail is attacked and devoured by slugs; but I think with you, that if a Star-fish were bold enough to attack a healthy oyster, it would soon have reason to repent it.” “I have often thought, mamma,” said Agnes; “what miserable lives oysters and other similar creatures must lead in the sea; fixed as they are to rocks, and incapable of hearing or seeing anything around them.” “You forget,” replied her mother, “how often I have told you that our Beneficent Creator has provided not only for the nourishment, but for the enjoyments of all his creatures. I think it is Paley who remarks, that when we recollect the happiness we feel when in perfect health and high spirits, without any particular cause, we may easily comprehend the enjoyments of the inferior animals.”