The Zoologist — November, 1870. 2351 



their deslrnction, and sting as fiercely as if the original proprietor 

 itself gave the word of attack." 



This brilliant extract from a popular Cyclopaedia, Art. "Medusa," 

 is at least equalled by a parallel passage in Wood's ' Natural History,' 

 vol. iii. p. 745. " This harmless-looking creature is in truth one of 

 the few inhabitants of the sea that are to be feared by bathers on our 

 favoured shores; but its presence is so much to be dreaded that no one 

 who has once suffered from the lash of its envenomed filaments will 

 venture to bathe without keeping a watch on the surrounding water. 

 I have twice undergone the torment occasioned by the contact of this 

 creature, and know by experience the severity of its stroke. At its 

 first infliction the pain is not unlike that caused by the common 

 stinging nettle, but rather sharper, and with more of a tingling sensa- 

 tion. Presently, however, it increases in violence, and then seems to 

 attack the whole nervous system, occasionally causing a severe pain 

 to dart through the body, as if a rifle-bullet had passed in at one side 

 and out at the other." — May I here interpolate the humiliating con- 

 fession that I never experienced the sensation. — " Both the heart and 

 lungs suffer spasmodically, and the victim occasionally feels as if he 

 could not survive for another minute." 



It is a comfort to know that the "terrified human" is sometimes 

 avenged for all his suffering and all his terror; for, reverting to our 

 author, to whom I owe an apology for this digression, I find the 

 "graceful monster" is sliced up and eaten in that country we are 

 accustomed to denominate " Celestial." 



" But what is that mysterious object rolling and tumbling in the 

 ripple of the tide ? We observe its motions for a short time with a 

 curious eye, but on approaching perceive that it is an immense 

 Rhisostoma, stranded and helpless, at the mercy of the waves. It was 

 certainly the biggest jelly-fish I had ever seen, measuring three feet 

 across the disk. The unfortunate Medusa had not only the mis- 

 fortune to be wrecked, but had to suffer the still more dire calamity of 

 being eaten. Chinamen came down, like Riff" pirates, or Cornish 

 wreckers, to the scene of the disaster, and cut off" huge slices of the 

 firm translucent blubber, and carefully wrapping them in cloths 

 carried them away for gastronomic use. Doubtless their insipid mess 

 of boiled rice was greatly improved thereby at evening chow-chow. 

 This is the only instance I have linown of any of the Acalephae being 

 used as food." — P. 117. 



