The ancients knew little about them. The only one to be
found in the European seas resembles the Star-Fish closely, and they
called it Asterias; but even Aristotle was ignorant of its true
structural relations, and alludes only to its motion and general
appearance. Some account of the gradual steps by which naturalists have
deciphered the true nature of these lowest Echinoderms and their
history in past times may not be without interest, and is very
instructive as showing bow such problems may be solved.
In the sixteenth century some stones were found bearing the impression
of a star on their surface. They received the name of Trochites, and
gave rise to much discussion. Naturalists puzzled their brains about
them, called them star-shaped crystals, aquatic plants, corals; and to
these last Linnaeus himself, the great authority of the time on all
such questions, referred them. Beside these stony stars, which were
found in great quantities when attention was once called to them,
impressions of a peculiar kind had been observed in the rocks,
resembling flowers on long stems, and called "stone lilies" naturally
enough, for their long, graceful stems, terminating either in a
branching crown or a closer cup, recall the lily tribe among flowers.
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