10 POWER OF STINGING. 



naked-eyed Medusae, though I have seen appearances, both in the higher Biscophora and m 

 the CiUograda, which would induce me to admit their presence in some Acalephce. Will 

 has observed that in Geryonia there is a small cavity beside the otolitic vesicle, which is 

 filled with a yellowish-green matter, in which the vesicle itself is bedded to a third of its 

 circumference, and he considers this a ganglion, whilst he admits it cannot be proved to 

 be so histologically. I beheve I have seen a similar appearance in several species, but 

 not so constantly as to permit of the assignment of so important an office as the duty of 

 a nervous ganglion to the tissue. Frey and Leuckhart recognised the same bodies in 

 Geryonia, but doubt their nervous nature, and remark that the individual masses in 

 this instance did not seem to be sufficiently distinctly separated from the neighbouring 

 parenchyma, as to warrant their concluding with certainty that such bodies are peculiar 

 isolated formations. 



Power of Stinging. — In the minds of most people who have been at the sea-side 

 the notion of a Medusa naturally associates itself with that of a nettle, since both the animal 

 and the plant enjoy an equal reputation for their stinging powers, and for the production of 

 an extremely similar, though not the less unpleasant sensation, when incautiously handled or 

 inadvertently touched. The term Acalephts, so frequently applied to the whole of the 

 Medusa tribe, is significant of their nettle-like nature. Yet it is not improbable that this 

 offensive faculty of stinging is possessed by only a small minority of the sea-jellies — a 

 minority chiefly, if not wholly, composed of the steganopthalmatous species. Among them 

 the Cyanesa capillata of our seas is a most formidable creature, and the terror of tender- 

 skinned bathers. With its broad, tawny, festooned, and scalloped disk, often a full foot or 

 even more across, it flaps its way through the yielding waters, and drags after it a long train 

 of riband-like arms, and seemingly interminable tails, marking its course when the body is far 

 away from us. Once tangled in its trailing " hair," the unfortunate who has recklessly 

 ventured across the graceful monster's path, too soon writhes in prickly torture. Every 

 struggle but binds the poisonous threads more firmly round his body, and then there is no 

 escape ; for when the winder of the fatal net finds his course impeded by the terrified human 

 wrestling in its coils, he, seeking no combat with the mightier biped, casts loose bis enve- 

 nomed arms and swims away. The amputated weapons severed from their parent body vent 

 vengeance on the cause of their destruction, and sting as fiercely as if their original proprietor 

 itself gave the word of attack. The Cyanaa Lamarckii possesses a like dangerous power, 

 and Pelagia cyanella also, though very faintly, as I have experienced. But, unless Chrysaora 

 hysoscella sting, no other Medusae of our seas besides those mentioned, have been observed, at 

 least by me, or naturalists known to me, to possess this noxious property. I have in vain 

 endeavoured to elicit such nettling proofs of rage in any of the naked-eyed species, though I 

 have stirred, and grasped, and rubbed together hundreds of them belonging to many genera. 

 It is right, however, to notice this matter, for it may yet be found that either at particular 

 seasons, or under peculiar circumstances, more than one species can sting. Dicquemare has 

 stated that certain species of Oceania sting, though very slightly, and only when they come 

 in contact with very sensitive parts, such as the eyes. Not being ambitious of suffering 

 stone-blindness by playing too closely with even the smallest gorgon's head, I have never 

 ventured to repeat the worthy Abbe's experiment, and prefer keeping my eyes intact to 



