744 



THE CHEYSAORA. 



affords an example of the typical genus, several species of which are found in our own 

 seas. In these pretty creatures the disc is rather more convex than in the preceding 

 genus the footstalk is very wide and expands into many lobes, with long and broad 



Kudora undulosu 



fringes ; and the tentacles are very slender and variable in number, 

 inhabits the South seas. 



The present species 



IN the accompanying illustration is given an example of a fine genus, several species 

 of which are inhabitants of the British seas. This creature belongs to the next tribe of 

 the order, wherein the eye-specks are covered by certain flaps, and the circulating vessels 

 united into a kind of network This tribe is further divided into two families, in the first 

 of which, the true Medusae, solid food is received into a mouth, and in the second, there is 

 no mouth, but nourishment is absorbed through the ends of branching vessels. 



The CHRYSAORA belongs to the first of these families, and may be recognised by the 

 long unfringed but furbelowed arms. A. fine species belonging to this genus, Chrysaora 

 cycionota, was kept for some time by Mr. Gosse, and has afforded many useful hints to 

 the students of Natural History. Experiments were made for the purpose of ascertaining 

 the method of obtaining food, and it was discovered that the furbelowed arms as well as 

 the tentacles are used for catching prey. A dead whitebait was first given to the Medusa, 

 and after having been caught by the tentacles and furbelows, was delivered to the former 

 organs, the latter relinquishing their hold. Very gradually it was shifted towards the 

 mouth of the footstalk, and there held for about an hour, when it was released and fell to 

 the bottom of the vessel. 



Thinking that the fish might have been too large a morsel for the Medusa, the expe- 

 rimenter next supplied the animal with a small piece of cooked meat. This was seized as 

 the fish had been, and during the course of the night was conveyed into one of the four 

 cavities of the footstalk. There it remained for about sixty hours, when it was rejected. 

 On being examined it was found to be perfectly white, but not in the least decomposed, 

 or having any putrescent smell. 



A curious change then took place. "After I had kept this Chrysaora for about a week, 

 its manners underwent a change. It no longer swam about freely in the water by means 

 of its pumping contractions, nor was its appearance that of an umbrella. It began to turn 

 itself inside out, and at length assumed this form permanently, its shape being that of an 

 elegant vase or cup, with the rim turned over, and the tentacles depending loosely from 

 it. the furbelows constituting a sort of foot. 



