THE OPEN SEA BEACH 281 



sailing along, and they act to some extent as 

 anchors to keep the Physalia from being driven 

 ashore. It can raise the narrow end. of the float 

 or sail and make it "come about" in the wind. 

 Notwithstanding these safety devices millions 

 of them are washed ashore and at once die. It is 

 a favorite amusement along our shores to step on 

 these air bladders to make them pop with a loud 

 noise. Some of the tentacles are covered with 

 stinging or lasso cells which inflict severe pain on 

 any swimmer who ventures among them and 

 they doubtless, by this means, paralyze their prey. 

 There are also locomotive and reproductive 

 tentacles and still others which appear to have 

 nutritive functions. They are among our strangest 

 forms of life and are glorious objects when seen 

 floating on the sea, the whole being a rich violet 

 or blue with iridescent shades. With the Physa- 

 lias are associated the Vellela ( V. limbosa) which 

 is also richly colored with shades of violet. It is 

 also a compound animal with an oblong float and 

 diagonal sail. 



The commonest bivalve mollusk of the south- 

 west coast is Spisula similis with a triangular, 

 whitish shell that attains the length of three 



