62 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



large size : Mr. Telfair saw a Medusa cast on shore 

 in the Bombay territory in 1819, which must have 

 weighed many tons. " I went to see it," says that 

 gentleman, " when the gale had subsided, which was 

 not for three days after its being cast upon the sand ; 

 but it had already become offensive, and I could not 

 distinguish any shape. The sea had thrown it high 

 above the reach of the tide, and I instructed the 

 fishermen who lived in the immediate neighbourhood 



o 



to watch its decay, that if any osseous or cartila- 

 ginous part remained it might be preserved ; it rotted, 

 however, entirely, and left no remains. It could not 

 be less than nine months before it entirely disappeared, 

 and travellers were obliged to change the direction 

 of their road for nearly a quarter of a mile, to avoid 

 the offensive and sickening stench which proceeded 

 from it*." 



Leaving, however, the contemplation of such mon- 

 strosities to gentlemen who are fortunate enough to 

 encounter them, let us return to our native shores, 

 and, as examples of the lovely objects at the disposal 

 of our own sea-side visitors, select a few, which, al- 

 though their lives are of ephemeral duration, may with 

 a little care be made the inmates of the aquarium, and 

 thus at least afford a passing opportunity of admiring 

 their evanescent beauties. 



The Turns neglecta (PI. I. fig. 6) is an elegant little 

 species, which, when in its native element, is brilliant 

 as a bead of brightest coral. It is not uncommon in 

 the Solent and around the Isle of Wight, and is thus 

 described by Mrs. Davis, who had excellent opportu- 

 * Ed. New Phil. Journ. iv. p. 406. 



