MEDUSA, OH JELLY-FISH. 153 



on the chosen spot, when it gets a mouth and tentacles like 

 those of its parent. Erom this, new germs sprout out and 

 establish themselves in the same manner, until a large co- 

 lony is formed. The next process is more surprising; it is 

 that by which the Medusce rise from the buds. The bud 

 begins to lengthen and become cylindrical and narrow; it 

 is wrinkled at intervals and divides into segments. The 

 tentacles at the apex waste away, and in place, the edge 

 of the top segment is scalloped into eight lobes. The top 

 edge of each segment in succession becomes lobed in like 

 manner, and exfoliates from the next; so that a column of 

 cups is formed one within the other. By-and-by the top 

 cup turns over and leaves the column; then another, and 

 another ; each swimming about, a young Medusa. The 

 column still grows from beneath, forming fresh cups when 

 the top ones fall off. At last, the rising process ceases ; 

 the last young Medusa is thrown off, and a stump only is 

 left of the original bud. All is not over yet ; the remaining 

 stem forms a new head of tentacula, and becomes a flower- 

 polype again. 



I have seen the beautiful little Med^isa- cii\)s, propelling 

 themselves in playful activity, upwards and downwards, for- 

 wards and backwards, and slant, by means of contracting 



