THE VENUS' GIRDLE. 563 



being often three or four times as long as the other. The manner in which these tentacles 

 trail after the creature is extremely graceful, and the observer cannot resist a feeling of 

 wonder that they should avoid entanglement. 



The tentacles are employed for the purpose of catching prey, the Cydippe having been 

 observed in the very act of seizing and eating its food. The long threads arrested the object 

 as soon as touched, and in a very short time they were drawn to the central mouth, and the 

 prey softly lodged within. The smaller crustaceans appear to be the favorite food of the 

 Cydippe. The vitality, or perhaps the irritability, of the cilia is very enduring, for they 

 continue to act when the animal is cut into several parts, or even when a little piece is nipped k 

 off, and will carry the severed portions through the water quite merrily. 



The development of the Cydippe is very interesting-, the young being produced from 

 minute vesicles, and passing through a series of stages before they assume their perfect form. 



The present illustration shows us a long, flat, riband-like creature edged with a delicate 



.&" 



VENUS' GIRDLE.— Centum veneris. (One-half natural size.) 



fringe of cilia. This curious being is called Venus' Giedle. and from its beauty fully 

 deserves the name. 



This lovely creature is found in the Mediterranean, where it attains to the extraordinary 

 length of five feet, the breadth being only two inches. Rightly, the words breadth and length 

 ought to be transposed, as the development is wholly lateral. The mouth of the Venus' Girdle 

 may be seen in the centre of the body, occupying a very small space, in proportion to the large 

 dimensions of the creature to which it belongs. A very good idea of the appearance of the 

 Venus' Girdle may be obtained by supposing a Cydippe two inches in length to be flattened 

 and rolled out into a riband of five feet in length. 



Owing to the great length and tenuity of this creature, it is seldom found quite entire, but 

 it seems to care little for the loss of a foot or so of its substance. 



