THE DRAWING OF THE SEINE. 183 



less thousands of beautiful animals. To describe them, 

 except as a professional biologist might, is not practica- 

 ble. Like so much of animate nature, it must be seen, 

 not merely read about. 



Prof. Hyatt says of these " jelly-fish :" " the tropical 

 aspect and luxuriant growth of the clinging masses, 

 frequently several feet in diameter, investing the sum- 

 mits of submerged stumps and the branches of water- 

 logged timber, are unequalled among the fresh-water, 

 or even among the marine, Saccata of our climate. 



" The communities, assembled in countless profusion 

 upon the gelatinous ectocyst, are crowded together, and, 

 being compressed, become irregularly hexagonal in their 

 outlines. The polypides upon the lobiform branches 

 adorn the borders of these hexagonal patterns with a 

 dense, glistening fringe, speckled with the scarlet color- 

 ing of their oral regions ; and the bare ccenoecial trunks 

 in the centre shine with a deep opaline lustre, com- 

 pleting the rich, coralline effect of the fringed outlines. 



" In July and August specimens of Pectinatella mag- 

 nifica are very abundant in shallows and in the depths 

 of — Poaetquissings ; but as fall advances, those in the 

 shallows die, and in October they can live only upon 

 the logs in deep, cool water, or in shaded situations. 

 These autumnal specimens are old, and being unable to 

 withstand the direct rays of the sun, disappear from all 

 exposed positions, where they grow with impunity as 

 strong and healthy adults earlier in the season. I 

 have found them fifteen or twenty feet below the sur- 

 face, showing a marked departure in this respect from 

 other genera, whose species seldom occur below two or 



