272 OCTOBER. 



Within the clear substance of the Cydippe, on each 

 side of the stomach, there is excavated a capacious 

 cavity, which communicates by a canal with the sur- 

 face, near the equator. Within each cavity is fixed a 

 tentacle of great length and slenderness, which the 

 animal can at pleasure shoot out of the orifice, and 

 allow to trail through the water, shortening, lengthening, 

 twisting, or coiling it at will ; or, on the other hand, 

 quickly contract it into a tiny ball, and withdraw it 

 wholly within the proper cavity. A peculiarity, which 

 imparts an inexpressible charm to this apparatus, is, that, 

 throughout the length of this attenuate white thread, 

 short threadlets are given off at regular intervals, which 

 can be coiled or straightened, lengthened or shortened, 

 individually. They proceed only from one side of the 

 thread-like tentacle, though, from the slight twisting of 

 the axis, they seem now to project on one side, now on 

 another. 



It has been well observed that of the grace and 

 beauty which the entire apparatus presents in the living 

 animal, or the marvellous ease and rapidity with which 

 it can be alternately contracted, extended, and bent at 

 an infinite variety of angles, no verbal description 

 can sufficiently treat. Fortunately this little beauty 

 is so common in summer and autumn on all our 

 coasts, that few who use the surface-net can possibly 



