218 THE OCEAN WORLD. 



surrounded the person of its assailant with its numerous thread-like 

 filaments, which were nearly a yard in length ; the young man, over- 

 whelmed by a feeling of burning pain, cried out for assistance. He 

 had scarcely strength to reach the vessel and get aboard again, before 

 the pain and inflammation were so violent that brain fever declared 

 itself, and great fears were entertained for his life." 



Fig. 88. Chrysaora Gaudichaudi. 







The organization is much more complicated than early observers 

 were disposed to think it. During many ages naturalists were inclined 

 to imagine, with Eeaumur, that the Medusae were mere masses of 

 organized jelly, of gelatinized water. But when Courtant Dumeril 

 tried the experiment of injecting milk into their cavities, and saw the 

 liquid penetrating into true vessels, he began to comprehend that 



