PHYSALIA. 93 



Fam. PHYSALIADiE. 



Genus PHYSALIA {Lamarck). 



Hydrosoma irregularly pyriform. Pneumatocyst occupying almost the ■whole of the 

 somatic cavity, and produced into caeca, arranged in a longitudinal series. Tentacula without 

 branches, but provided with reniform enlargements along one edge, and with basal sacs. 



The term Phi/salia was employed by Lamarck to denote certain remarkable animals 

 which, before his time, had passed under the various scientific names of Urtica marina, 

 Arethisa, HoIofJiuria, Salacia, &c., and were popularly known by the titles of " Portuguese man- 

 of-war," " KriegschifF," " Galure," " Caravella," " By-the-wind Zeyler," &c. appellations, 

 which the Physalice enjoy in common vs'ith tlie Velella, and all expressive of the fact, 

 that the great bladder which constitutes the most conspicuous part of the animal is impelled 

 hither and thither by the winds, as it floats on the surface of the sea. 



Cuvier discerned the true position of Physalia in the animal kingdom, and Eysenhardt's 

 essay, ' Zur Anatomic und Naturgeschichte der Quallen,' ^ contains some valuable notes 

 upon its structure. He points out the analogy of the polypites of Phi/salia with the mouths 

 of the Bhizosfomida, and of the central cavities and canals of each, but he considers the long 

 tentacles to be external genital organs, and seems not to understand the true nature of 

 the pneumatocyst. 



Eichwald again (' Observationis nonnulloe circa fabricam Physaliae, auctore Dr. E. 

 Eichwald^) describes tlie manner in which the tentacles are, as it were, gathered up, 

 along the line of their attachment to their basal sacs, but he considers them to be repro- 

 ductive organs ("funiculos proliferos, cognominare liceat," 1. c, p. 456). The attachment of 

 the pneumatocyst to one point only of the hydrosoma, and the free communication of 

 the cavity interposed between the pneumatocyst and the wall of the hydrosoma, with 

 the cavities of all the appendages, are noted. The crest, which Eichwald calls a branchia, 

 and certain vessels distributed vipon it, are fully described, but the reproductive organs 

 are supposed to be polypites in various stages of development (p. 461), while the author's 

 conception of the reproductive process is expressed in the following paragraph (p. 468) : 



" Hisce forsitan concludendum, physalias veluti infusoria seu polypos hydriformes 

 prolem gemmse instar, in funiculis proliferis progignere, qui tunc per fimbrias ei nutrimentum 

 adducerent donee tubuli suctorii ab initio fills tenuibus coniparandi ci evolverentur.'' 



A somewhat more satisfactory account of the anatomy of Physalia is due to Eschscholz 

 ('System,' p. 147, et seq.) 



^ Nova Acta, t. xvii, pt. 2, 1821. 



' 'Mem. de I'Acad. Imp. des Sc. de St. Petersbourg,' t. ix, p. 453, 1824. (The essay was read in 

 1822.) 



