THAUMAXTIAS. 



JELLY-FISHES. 319 



the Sarsia. In the little beauty before us, whose scientific 

 name, by the way, Thaumantias pilo- 

 sella, I have not yet told you, — the out- 

 line is fringed with about fifty short and 

 slender tentacles, each of which springs 

 from a fleshy bulb, in which is set a 

 speck of deep purple. These collec- 

 tions of coloured granules, which I have 

 already explained to be rudimentary 

 eyes, have a very charming effect ; and 

 give a beautiful appearance to the little creature, as if 

 its translucent crystalline head were encircled with a 

 coronet of gems. 



You shall see them, however, under circumstances 

 which will make them appear more lustrously gem-like 

 still. Come with me, and I will carry the glass containing 

 our little Thaumantias into the next room. You need 

 not bring the candle, or what I am going to show you 

 will be quite invisible. 



Take hold of this pencil, and, having felt for the glass, 

 disturb the water with it. Ha ! what a circle of tiny 

 lamps flash out ! You struck the body of the Thaumantias 

 with the pencil ; and instantly, under the stimulus of 

 alarm, every purple eye became a phosphoric flame. 

 Touch it again ; again the crown of light flashes out, but 

 less brilliantly; and each tiny lamp, after sparkling 

 tremulously for a moment, wanes, and the whole gradu- 

 ally, but quickly, go out, and all is dark again. 



But it is tired of lighting up for nothing; or its gas is 

 exhausted; or it is become used to the pencil and is not 

 alarmed; or, — at all events you may knock it, and push 

 it, but it refuses to shine any more. Back with it then 

 to the microscope, and let us see if it possesses any other 

 points of interest for us there. 



Yes : we have not exhausted the organs of the margin 

 yet. Between the tentacles which spring from bulbs 



