104 HALF AN HOUR WITH CORALLINES. 



which we alluded at the beginning of the present 

 article, have become detached, they assume the form 

 of true acalephae, or jelly-fish. Here, then, we have 

 a creature totally different from its immediate pro- 

 genitor, the coralline! The medusoids are each 

 furnished with a pedicel, which is in reality the 

 mouth and stomach, and these hang down from the 

 centre, as seen in Fig. 56. Bound the edge of the 

 umbrella-shaped disk may be seen hanging a series 

 of fibrils, or " gemmae." These, when detached, 

 become separate animals. Besides them, the jelly- 

 fish produces eggs, each of which is clothed with 

 cilise, so as to be able to swim about. Eventually 

 it becomes pear-shaped, and the narrowest end at 

 length fixes itself to some stone or shell, and shoots 

 up into an ordinary coralline, such as we have been 

 endeavouring to describe. Our readers will agree 

 that a more remarkable incident than this it is 

 impossible to conceive. We are accustomed to the 

 marvellous transformation by means of which an 

 inconspicuous grub is changed to a gaudy butterfly ; 

 but this development of huge, transparent, free- 

 swimming jelly-fish from objects so infinitely 

 smaller, and even then harbouring colonies of such 

 parents, is a wonder even more striking ! However, 

 such must necessarily be the influence of a better 

 acquaintance with the Creator's works, resulting in 

 an admiration compounded of awe and love, but 

 deepening and widening as we see this wisdom 

 reflected in the " works of His hands." 



