us 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Nov. 1, 1865. 



pinned down to a loaded cork, under water all the 

 time. 



When obtained, the tubes may be mounted dry, 

 in fluid or in balsam. Tlie latter plan is the best, 

 none of the others offering so much security from 

 ultimate deterioration or damage. 



Trom the same pond were obtained plenty of 

 Ephemera! larvae, enabling me to add to the cabinet a 

 slide of one showing tolerably well the tracheal 

 system. A perfect specimen of this object is ex- 

 tremely difficult to obtain, owing to the fragility of 

 the leaflets ; but even a mediocre one is v/orth while. 

 No caustic potash is necessary. The insect, after 

 being killed in hot water, must be simply arranged, 

 dried, and mounted in balsam. The chance of 

 success will be the greater if it is spread out on the 

 thin glass cover in preference to the glass slide, as 

 is usual, and then, after drying, inverted into a drop 

 of balsam. 



When mounted, the parabolic condenser, or other 

 dark ground illumination, will be the most efi'ective 

 mode of viewing, especially under the binocular 

 microscope. 



Great advantage to the mounter will be obtained 

 if he will fii'st look at the living larva in an 

 animalculse cage. This is a sight easily seen, and 

 one of the most beautiful that the microscope can 

 afford. 



The remainder of the day was occupied in a walk 

 to the bog at Keston, known to most microscopical 

 observers, from the abundance of Besmidiaca to be 

 found there, and several hours in the evening were 

 spent in turning over the contents of the bottles 

 filled from the little pools of water in the cattle 

 tracks. Wonderful indeed they were ! 



S. J. McIntire. 



JELLY-EISHES. 



ABOUT a fortnight ago, while the weather was 

 yet fine and the treacherous sea smooth, and 

 the breeze so gentle as scarcely to produce a ripple 

 on the surface of the water, I rowed from the haven 



at Tynemouth, to visit some wonderful caves which 

 have been hollowed out of the limestone rocks by 

 the action of the waves, about three miles down the 

 coast south of the Tyne. As I rowed along, I 

 several times encountered magnificent specimens of 



the large jelly-fish, known to science by the name of 

 Cyanea chrysuora. 'S^^ marine animals with which 

 I am conversant are more singular and beautiful 

 than this extraordinary creature. The umbrella-like 

 disk, by the alternate expansions and contractions 

 of which the animal glides along, is, in this species, 

 mai'ked with fine brown lines, which radiate from 

 the centre, and the numerous tentacles and waving 

 appendages which are suspended from the under- 

 side of the disk, float gracefully hither and thither, 

 and but for their motion in the water would, from 

 their delicacy and transparency, be scarcely percepti- 

 ble to the sight. The colour of these highly-attenuated 

 organs, as well as that of the other portions of the 

 creature, being a pellucid cream, or sometimes a 

 faint brown or fawn. Who would imagine, while 

 gazing at these transparent, evanescent creatures, 

 that they possess the power to inflict pain ? Yet 

 such is really the fact ; hence another common name 

 of these jelly-fishes, that of "sea-nettles." The 

 stinging, or at least irritating, properties, reside in 

 the tentacular appendages, and a curious instance of 

 the smarting pain occasioned by contact with them 

 occurred here lately. It was related to me by the 

 boatman, who, upon observing the interest with 

 which I examined one of the specimens, said," Them's 

 jelly-fishes, sir, and some of 'em stings awful." He 

 then went oii to say, that a few days ago he took a 

 gentleman out in his boat to have a bathe in deep 

 water, who, being a good swimmer, took a first-rate 

 " header," and in doing so plunged directly upon the 

 disk of a large specimen of Cyanea chrysuora, a 

 species to which, ^;«;' excellence, the term "stinger" 

 may be applied. The poor jelly-fish, although 

 smashed to pieces, amply revenged its death, for as 

 his unintentional destroyer was drying himself after 

 his bathe, he said to the boatman, " I am afraid the 

 water has not agreed with me this morning, for my 

 back itches terribly ; " and the pain increased so 

 violently that, upon his return home, the victim to 

 jelly-fish acquaintanceship found it necessary to take 

 to his bed. The boatman, expecting what would 

 happen, called in the course of the day to inquire 

 after the gentleman, and, upon learning his condition, 

 requested to be admitted, when he at once explained 

 the cause of his sufferuig ; upon which, as the boat- 

 man said to me, "the gen'l'man 'ops out o' bed, and 

 says he, ' why didn't you tell me that afore ? ' and 

 down he sits, and writes out a 'scripshun, which I 

 takes to the chemist, and gets a hointment to rub his 

 back v/i' ; law, sir, the jelly-fish had stung his back 

 as red as scarlet. Hows'ever the stuff as I rubbed 

 him wi' cured him ; and by night he was all right 

 ag'in." I have often heard people doubt the sting- 

 ing properties of WxtMedusa or jelly-fishes, but from 

 my oion experience of the fact, I would strongly 

 advise bathers, who may be sceptical on this head, 

 not to trust their Umbs in contact with the tentacles 

 of Cyanea chrysuora. W. H. Guattank. 



