52 THE SEA-SIDE AND AQUARIUM. 



this state the tide gently drifted it along with the 

 Cyanea, until after a time it recovered, swam slowly 

 to its protector, and took refuge as before. The pack 

 soon observed it, drove it again into open water, 

 and this time succeeded in really killing it. During 

 their attack Mr Peach repeatedly threw stones among 

 them, to induce them to desist, but so intent were 

 they on the pursuit, that they dashed on unheedingly, 

 although at any other time the smallest stone would 

 have alarmed and driven them aside." 



There is a current story regarding the Medusae 

 which is too amusing to be passed over : " Professor 

 E. Forbes had, a few years ago, been delivering some 

 zoological lectures at a sea-port town in Scotland, in 

 the course of which he adverted to some of the most 

 remarkable points in the economy of the Acalephas. 

 After the lecture, a farmer who had been present 

 came forward and inquired if he had understood him 

 correctly as having stated that the Medusae contained 

 so little of solid material, that they might be regarded 

 as little better than a mass of animated sea- water? 

 On being assured in the affirmative, he remarked, 

 that it would have saved him many a pound had he 

 known that sooner ; for he had been in the habit of 

 employing his men and horses carting . away large 

 quantities of jelly-fish from the shore, and using them 

 as manure on his farm, and he now believed that 

 they could have been of little more real use than an 

 equal weight of sea-water. Assuming that so much 

 as one ton weight of Medusae recently thrown on the 



