80 



ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



Velella was even more beautiful, the body part 

 somewhat resembling the Porpita, except that it 

 had a curious sail-like membrane that would 



Velella limbosa. 



readily catch the breeze. On other occasions 

 the boys often watched fleets of these charming 

 ships sailing over the blue waters in company 

 \vith the Portuguese man-of-war. 



These objects, which in the North were val- 

 ued as rare specimens, were banked up in wind- 

 rows by the storm, with fishes, shells, sea-fans, 

 and gorgonias, in which the boys literally bur- 

 rowed, gradually moving up the narrow key. 



