SECT. m. GALEOLARIA LUTE A. 107 



Physograde Acalephce. 



The Galeolaria lutea (fig. 118, frontispiece) is similar 

 to the Pray a diphys in having a slender, tubular body, 

 with groups of sterile polypites and their appendages 

 hanging at intervals along its under-side like a fringe, 

 and also in having two swimming-bells at its anterior 

 extremity ; but it has no special small bells. The large 

 ones differ from each other in size, form, and position. 

 The largest is nearly cylindrical, its mouth is turned up- 

 wards, and its rim is elevated at one part into two stiff 

 organs like the blinkers that are put over horses' eyes : 

 besides these, it has six salient points, which nearly 

 close the mouth of the bell at each contraction of the 

 muscular iris that lines the margin of the cavity. The 

 small bell, which goes first in swimming, is thicker and 

 shorter, and its side rises in a hump, upon which the 

 closed end of the large bell rests, and in the cavity be- 

 tween the two the anterior extremity of the filiform body 

 is fixed. Each of the groups of polypites, with their 

 tentacles, lies immediately under its spathe-shaped pro- 

 tecting plate. The polypites are very contractile, and on 

 their protuberant part, containing the digestive cavity, 

 there is a large circular space, which, as well as the 

 whole tissue of the polypite and the stinging capsules 

 at the extremities of the tentacles, are of an orange 

 colour, and are akin in structure to those described. 



When very young the Galeolaria and its congeners 

 have only their swimming-bells and one polypite group 

 affixed to the end of a short tubular axis ; by and by a 

 second group is developed from buds between the bells 

 and the first group ; then a third is developed between 

 the bells and the second group, and so on ; the length 

 of the body and the number of groups continue to in- 

 crease indefinitely. It is only when the animal is full 

 grown and complete in all its parts, that reproductive 



