ACALEPH^. 45 



. . . . " Bones of dead men, that made 



A hidden golgotha where they had fall'n 



Unseen, unsepulchred, but not unwept 



By lover, friend, relation far away, 



Long waiting their return to home and country, 



And going down into their fathers' graves, 



With their gray hairs or youthful locks, in sorrow, 



To meet no more till seas give up their dead ; 



Some, too ay, thousands whom no living mourn'd, 



None miss'd, waifs of the universe, the last 



Lorn links of kindred chains for ever sunder'd." 



But we must halt here, and return from an ima- 

 ginary expedition, to the upper air. We are on, and 

 not in, the water. The sun is still high ; but a gentle 

 breeze has sprung up, and we call to remembrance 

 our having left home with some intention of work. 



Well, I commence my labours by producing a 

 small ring net, which I pass several times through 

 the water. See ! in a short time I have succeeded 

 in capturing the very thing I want a fine little spe- 

 cimen of the Medusa, or, as it is more familiarly 

 known, a Sea-blubber, or Nettle-fish.* It is the com- 

 monest species of the great family of Acalephse to be 

 found on the British shores, and, like many other 

 animals, is more curious in its construction than our 

 familiarity with it would lead us to suppose. 



The most accurate idea of the form of a Medusa is 

 presented by a miniature umbrella. The comparison 

 extends further than as regards mere shape, for when- 

 ever the Medusan wishes to ascend, it executes a 

 series of movements exactly like the brisk closing 

 * Vide Appendix. 



