CYDIPPE. 271 



We will not, however, trouble ourselves now with 

 these elaborate matters, but rather look at the exterior 

 and obvious characters of the charming little pet, which 

 is disporting itself in this vase of sea-water on our 

 table. It is a globe of pure colourless jelly, about as 

 big as a small marble, often having a little wart-like 

 swelling at one of its poles, where the mouth is placed. 

 At the other end there are minute orifices ; and between 

 the two passes the stomach, of a form which is flat, or 

 wider in one diameter than in the other. 



If the stomach be considered as the axis of the globe, 

 and the two extremities as its poles, the meridians of 

 longitude are well represented by eight narrow bands, 

 situated on the surface, which do not, however, reach 

 either pole. Along the course of each of these meri- 

 dional bands are fixed at close intervals minute square 

 moveable plates, whose outer edges are set with strong 

 cilia, like the teeth of a comb. These are the locomo- 

 tive organs, and most effective they are. They are used 

 like the paddles of a steamer, the little animal beating 

 the water with them in rapid and regular succession, 

 their minute subdivision causing the rays of light, espe- 

 cially when in the sun, to play along these bands, with 

 the most brilliant prismatic colours ; while their vigor- 

 ous strokes cause the globe to shoot hither and thither 

 through the water with remarkable power. 



