Mr, Patterson on the Bolina Hibernica. 155 



lodging at Bangor, county of Down ; and such was their abundance on that day, 

 that in the course of twenty-five minutes, one hundred and twenty-six individuals 

 were taken in the bay by means of two small canvass towing nets. On several 

 occasions, both before and after that date, my efforts to obtain specimens were 

 totally unsuccessful. 



The general movement of the animal appears more deliberate, or less 

 vivacious than that of the Cydippe pomiformis, though always graceful and 

 varied. The spiral motion on an axis, mentioned by Mertens as the mode of 

 locomotion, may occasionally be seen, but is not habitual. Like Cydippe pomi- 

 formis, it generally swims in an erect position, with the mouth upwards. Its 

 increase of power does not seem proportionate to its increase of size, for a small 

 medusa of the genus Geryonia of Cuvier, which chanced to be thrown into the 

 glass, attached its peduncle to a Bolina from twelve to sixteen times its own 

 bulk, and with great apparent ease towed it round the vessel, reminding the 

 spectator of a pigmy steam tug towing a stately merchantman. 



This species of beroe is extremely susceptible of injury, and hence, when any 

 number are taken, some are sure to be found in a shattered state, perhaps, with 

 so much as one-half of the body torn away. Any of the cilia detached from 

 the body, along with a small piece of skin, will continue to vibrate for many 

 hours ; this is particularly apparent in the four tentacula, and in the four 

 ciliated rings or orifices, from which these organs are protruded. In both, we 

 do not merely behold marginal cilia in rapid and continuous motion, but their 

 number and variety of position is such, that the mutilated part to which they 

 belong, is moved about with the briskness and activity which we are apt to 

 regard as characteristic of a perfect and vigorous animal. Under each of the 

 bands of cilia, two aqueous currents are easily discernible, one ascending, and 

 one descending with great regularity.* 



The tentacula were formerly mentioned as " extremely beautiful in appear- 

 ance, both from their transparency, and from the numerous minute, delicate, 

 pointed cilia along their edges." Their great attraction, however, is their 

 versatility of form. They may be seen pointed, erect, and hollowed longltudi- 



* In a communication on C. Pileus, made by Mr. Garner, at the late meeting of the British 

 Association, it was stated that such currents are occasioned by the action of minute internal cilia, 

 placed on the parietes of the vessels. 



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