370 THE RED-LINED CHRYSAORA. 



one of these I devoted to my experiment, and the 

 Medusa's appetite. The fish was already dead, and I 

 had no difficulty in guiding it so that it might touch 

 the tentacles. These were immediately, as I had ex- 

 pected, entangled around the fish, and so were the 

 furbelows. At first I was not aware that anything 

 more was going on, for the weight of the fish had 

 carried it to the bottom of the vessel, and the delicate 

 membranes were lying in confused heaps over it. 



After some time, however, I perceived that the fish 

 had moved from that part of the furbelows which had 

 first seized it ; for whereas at first not more than 

 half-an-inch lay between that part of one of the fur- 

 belows which embraced the head of the fish, and its 

 extremity, the head was now several inches higher up 

 towards the peduncle. This induced me to watch it 

 closely. The tentacles had now no part in the matter ; 

 having delivered the prey to the furbelows, they had 

 disentangled themselves, and were now sprawling 

 loosely about, as usual. Three of the furbelows had 

 grasped the fish; one embracing the head, another 

 the tail, and a third the middle of the body ; the 

 fourth had not touched it at all, and the middle one 

 presently relinquished its hold, resigning the task to 

 the other two. These embraced their respective parts 

 in the most curious manner ; not being twined about 

 merely, but the fleshy membrane adhering to the 

 surface of the fish, filling every hollow, and rounding 

 every projection of its burden, so closely as to manifest 

 not only the sensitiveness, but also the muscularity, 

 of these filmy organs. 



It was easy to perceive the constant though slow 



