LECTURE X. 141 



of eight limbs or arms, springing from a central 

 trunk, dividing into eight large wrinkled lobes, 

 which are tipped with so many lengthened sub- 

 triangular processes. The whole animal is of a 

 glassy transparency, and very much resembles the 

 appearance of a chandelier or glass lustre. The 

 Medusa? in general are with extreme difficulty 

 preserved in their natural appearance, either in 

 spirits, or by any other method, and many of them 

 have been but very imperfectly described and 

 figured in the works of Naturalists. The Medusa 

 Pulmo, which I have just mentioned, has been 

 very accurately and elegantly described and re- 

 presented by Dr, Macri, an Italian physician, who 

 many years ago published its description. The 

 species of Medusee differ very much in habit from 

 each other ; insomuch that several distinct genera 

 might be instituted from the single Linnrean ge- 

 nus Medusa. Many species are highly phospho- 

 ric, and shine during the night with a very bril- 

 liant lustre. They are of a predacious nature, and 

 live on the smaller kinds of fishes, and other ma- 

 rine animals, which, notwithstanding their appa- 

 jfently tender nature, they are enabled to seize 



