136 



THE SEA SHORE 



to rocks or weeds. Numerous tentacles develop as the creatures 

 increase in size, and a number of transverse furrows appear at the 



surface. The furrows gra- 

 ,-jJ^L dually increase in depth 

 L ( g& until, at last, the body is 

 broken up into several 

 star-like discs, each of 

 which floats away and 

 develops into a new me- 

 dusa. 



Other j elly-fishes, some 

 of which are considerably 

 larger than Aurelia, fre- 

 FIG. 86. THE EAKLY STAGES OF Aurelia quent our seas, and are 



often to be seen stranded 



on the beach. Two of these Rhizostoma and Chrysaora are 

 figured. Although they differ considerably in form from the 



FIG. 87. Rhizostoma 



FIG. 88. Chrysaora 



blue aurelia, they closely resemble it in genera! structure and 

 habits. 



