1S90 PEESH- WATER MEDUSA 145 



of the Census department, that for the last ten years 

 it has been growing at the rate of 1,000 per week. 



I have only time to write a few Knes to thank you 

 and the mother for the very jolly letters received this 

 morning, and to let you know that we are all well. 



The reason of my haste now is this extraordinary 

 discovery that has been made in the Botanical 

 Gardens, and which you have probably read about in 

 the 'Times.' Medusae have been found in swarms 

 in the fresh- water tank of the Victoria Regina Lily. 

 Such a thing as a fresh-water Medusa has never been 

 heard of before, and I want to lose no time in getting 

 to work upon his physiology. You see, when I don't 

 go to the jelly-fish the jeUy-fish come to me, and I am 

 bound to have jeUy-fish wherever I go. 



It would have been very odd if I had been the dis- 

 coverer, as I should have been had I known that there 

 was a hving Victoria Eegis, for then I should have 

 gone to see the plant, and would not have failed to 

 see the Medusae. Only in that case I might have 

 begun to grow superstitious, and to think that in 

 some way my fate was bound up in jelly-fish. 



I must get to work soon because all the naturalists 

 are in a high state of excitement, and there has been 

 a regular scramble for priority. 



The worst about this jeUy-fish is that it will only 

 Hve in a temperature of 90°, so I shall have to work 

 at it in the Victoria House, which is kept at a tempera- 

 ture of 100°, and makes one ' sweat.' But I shall not 

 work long at a time. 



From 1882 to 1890 Mr. Eomanes rented Geanies, 



L 



