208 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



tinctly saw a sardine dash from the school and 

 bite at the tempting bait. The instant of con- 

 tact, over it turned as dead as if struck by an 

 electric shock ; in fact, as the doctor afterward 

 showed them, its delicate scales were perforated 

 by thousands of minute barbs that were shot 

 out from lasso-cells in the tentacles of the man- 

 o'-war, and the shock had killed the victim, 

 that was then hauled rapidly up to be eaten 

 by this singular creature. 



To better examine it and see how far the 

 sardine had been drawn up, Harry lifted the 

 Physalia out of the water by its satin-like sail, 

 which could be done in safety, and then made 

 his discovery. The moment he lifted the bub- 

 ble he saw four or five little fishes dashing 

 wildly about. They had been beneath the 

 death-dealing Physalia and now were evidently 

 much alarmed. He placed the Physalia in the 

 water again, and immediately the little fishes 

 swam back to it. Placing his face near the 

 surface, he saw distinctly the fish hovering up 

 under the bubble surrounded by the tentacles, 

 and extremely difficult to distinguish from them, 



