360 EVENINGS AT THE MICROSCOPE 



end is the mouth, having a terminal orifice with four mi- 

 nute lips. The flexible substance and rapid motions of 

 this peduncle are suited to enable it to seize small pass- 

 ing animals that constitute its prey; and I have seen the 

 Sarsia in confinement seize with the mouth, and swallow, 

 a newly-hatched fish, notwithstanding the activity of the 

 latter. For hours afterward, the little green-eyed fry was 

 visible, the engulf ment being a very slow process; but the 

 Medusa never let go its hold; and gradually the tiny fish 

 was sucked into the interior, and passed up the cavity of 

 the peduncle, becoming more and more cloudy and indis- 

 tinct as digestion in the stomach dissolved its tissues. 



The greater portion of the food is by and by dis- 

 charged from the mouth, the fluids which have been ex- 

 tracted from it being on the other hand carried up through 

 the base of the peduncle, and distributed along the four 

 radiating vessels, conveying nutrition, supply of waste, 

 and growth to all parts of the system. 



We may now liberate our little Sarsia, with thanks for 

 the gratification he has afforded us, to resume his active 

 play among his many companions. Meanwhile we will 

 look for one of another kind among the group. 



Here is a pretty and interesting species. Active it is, 

 but less vigorously rapid in its movements than either the 

 Beroe or the Sarsia. It is, as you see, something less 

 than a hemisphere, or resembling a watch-glass in shape, 

 about three -fourths of an inch in diameter. In general 

 character it resembles the Sarsia, but the peduncle is 

 small, never reaching to the level of the margin, and its 

 mouth is terminated by four expanding fleshy lips, which 

 are extremely flexible and versatile. 



The four radiating vessels here carry, just before they 





