86 POPULAR HISTORY OF THE AQUARIUM. 



doubtless counected with a subtile poison^ and are ordina- 

 rily coiled up in oval capsules, but are, at the will of the 

 animal, projected with surprising force : these capsules are 

 lodged in vast numbers in the flesh of the body, but espe- 

 cially in the tentacles/^ 



There is an old stanza referring to the common terrestrial 

 stiiiging-nettles, which will not apply to these '' Orties de 

 la Mer -:'— 



" Tender-handed stroke a nettle. 



And it stings you for your pains : 

 Grasp it, like a man of mettle, 



And it soft as silk remains. 

 'T is the same with common natures : 



Use them kindly, they rebel ; 

 But be rough as nutmeg-graters. 



And the rogues obey you well." 



But the case of polype stinging-nettles is different; for being 

 sheathed in their cases, ready to dart forth on irritation, 

 pressure does not break the polype-stings, but only causes 

 them to be shot out in greater force. 



In general, the "sting" is not felt by the human hand, 

 although a sensation of "stickiness" is produced. Those 

 wonderful little threads which dart out of their capsules and 

 penetrate with surprising subtlety many objects of contact, 

 perhaps find the skin of the human hand too tough to 



