356 EVENINGS AT THE MIOEOSCOPE. 



unwearied interest, and we wonder what is their func- 

 tion. For, with all our watching, this is by no means 

 clear. They are certainly not organs of motion. At 

 times it seems as if they were cables intended to moor 

 the animal, while it floats at a given depth ; or we see 

 them with their extremities spread npon the bottom, to 

 which they appear to have a power of adhering, thus 

 forming fixed points, from which the little globe rises 

 and falls at pleasure, shortening or lengthening its 

 delicate and novel cables, maintaining all the while its 

 erect position. 



When the Oydippe swims, however, which it does 

 with great energy, the threads seem imemployed, 

 streaming loosely behind, and evidently taking no part 

 in the progression, though still adding beauty and 

 grace to the tout ensemble. The organs by w^hich the 

 sprightly motions of the whole animal are afi'ected are 

 of quite another character, and shall now engage our 

 attention. 



You have doubtless observed, while gazing on the 

 animal, a peculiar glittering appearance along its sides, 

 mingled in certain lights with brilliant rainbow-reflec- 

 tions. Now let us take an opportunity, when it ap- 

 proaches the side of the glass, to examine this appear- 

 ance with a lens. The globe, you see, is marked by 

 longitudinal bands, eight in mmaber, set at equal dis- 

 tances, and ranging like meridians, except that they "do 

 not quite reach to either pole. These bands are the 

 seats of the motile organs, which are highly curious, 

 and in some sort peculiar. 



Each band is of considerable width in the middle, 

 but becomes narrower towards the extremities. It car- 

 ries a number — usually from twenty to thirty — of flat 



