THE PHYSALIA. 5 



abundance of prize money, but which we hardly 

 supposed would ever be realized. 



There are various objects well calculated to 

 excite interest to a naturalist during a long 

 voyage, and to furnish both amusement and in- 

 struction. The splendid Physalia, or " Portu- 

 guese man of war,"* is often seen floating by the 

 ship ; the inflated, or bladder portion of this 

 molluscous animal, glowing in delicate crimson 

 tints, floats upon the waves, whilst the long ten- 

 taculae of a deep purple colour extend beneath, 

 as snares to capture its prey. It is oftentimes 

 amusing to see persons eager to secure the gaudy 

 prize ; but they find, by painful experience, 

 that, like many other beautiful objects of the 

 creation, they possess hidden torments ; for no 

 sooner have they grasped the tinted and curious 

 animal, than, encircling its long filiform appen- 

 dages over the hands and fingers of its capturer, 

 it inflicts such pungent pain by means of an acrid 

 fluid discharged from them, as to cause him to 

 drop the prize, and attend to the smarting occa- 

 sioned by it. 



This beautiful molluscous animal inhabits the 



* They are called " Guinea Ships" by the old navigators, 

 from their floating like a vessel on the water, and from hav- 

 ing very probably been first seen in great numbers about the 

 coast and gulf of Guinea. 



