ITS DEATH. 377 



The capsules of the furhelows do not differ in size 

 or appearance from those of the tentacles ; they are 

 however distributed in groups, consisting of from 

 thirty to sixty, large and small capsules together ; 

 these groups form the minute white specks that are 

 seen dotting the whole surface of these organs. None 

 were seen in the ovaries. 



Notwithstanding this armature, the species appears 

 to have no stinging power appreciable to our senses. 

 I passed the back of my finger, where the skin is very 

 sensible, over the surface of both tentacles and fur- 

 belows. They adhered, indeed, to my skin, but no 

 sensation of stinging was felt, nor any other unplea- 

 santness. 



This Medusa lived about three wrecks in a glass 

 vase, and died at the end of that time what I may 

 ^all a natural death ; that of exhaustion from the 

 discharge of ova. Reproduction, as is well known, is 

 the great object of existence, in many of the inverte- 

 brate animals, and also its closing act. It may be 

 so with this Medusa. 



In the mean time I found another specimen, closely 

 agreeing with the former in appearance, but slightly 

 smaller, — floating in one of the nooks of the harbour 

 of Ilfracombe. 



The species is doubtless the Cyanea chrysaora of 

 Cuvier's Eegne Animal (Edit. 1836) ; of which a 

 figure, not very accurate, is given in plate xlvii. The 

 editors refer it to Chrysaora cyclonota of Peron and 

 Lesueur. It was first described by Borlase in the 

 Nat. Hist, of Cornwall ; and his description and 

 figure are quite recognisable. 



