A VOYAGE TO INDIA. 135 



NO. II. 



MOLLUSCJS. FALSE SHOALS. 



Those who have sought relief from the summer heats 

 at Long Branch or Cape May, have probably noticed, 

 in their ramblings along the beach, certain gelatinous 

 transparent masses deposited by the receding tide upon 

 the sands. They resemble very large plano-convex 

 lenses, and are devoid of colour, except in a few minute 

 points, which appeal like grains of yellow sand, or the 

 eggs of some shells embedded in their substance. This 

 has led many to consider them as the spawn of some 



marine auiuiul. 



If one of these gellies be placed in a tub of brine im- 

 mediately after it reaches the shore, the observer will be 

 surprised to find it possessed of animation. The supe- 

 rior, or convex part, will expand like the top of an um- 

 brella, and from its under surface several fringed and 

 leaf-like membranes will be developed. The remains 

 of numerous threads, or tendrils, will float out from the 

 margin of the umbrella, following the motions of the 

 animal as it swims around the tub. These threads are 



