238 Physalia Pelagica. 



ing a plate or sucker at the free extremity which these creatures 

 can fix tightly on their prey, not only securing it but benumbing 

 it by exuding a glutinous substance (having a faint odour) 

 which produces that effect. Persons attempting to take up these 

 seemingly harmless and helpless creatures, are soon made to 

 repent their rashness, for the tentacles, with wonderful sudden- 

 ness, dart their numerous suckers to the hand and arm, inflicting 

 the most painful sensation, which sometimes produces rather 

 serious consequences. Being anxious to convince himself of the 

 precise character of the sting of the physalia, Mr. Bennett seized 

 one by the vesicle, when it instantly raised its long purple ten- 

 tacles, by muscular contraction of the bands situated at their 

 base, and they entwined themselves about his hand and fingers, 

 inflicting severe pain, and adhering so tightly as to be exceed- 

 ingly difficult to remove. The stinging sensation continued so 

 long as the minutest portion of the tentacles remained attached 

 to the skin, producing not only local pain, but much constitu- 

 tional irritation. The pain also extended up the arm, gradually 

 increasing in extent and severity, and seeming to act along the 

 course of the absorbents ; the general sensation resembling that 

 of a severe rheumatic attack. The pulse was accelerated, and a 

 feverish state of the whole system was produced, the muscles 

 of the chest being at the same time much affected, and pro- 

 ducing, as in rheumatism, a painful difficulty of respiration. 

 Even the secondary effects were very severe, and lasted for 

 more than three quarters of an hour, a certain unpleasant numb- 

 ness continuing for a whole day. The marks, where the ten- 

 tacles had adhered, remained for some time longer, and had the 

 precise appearance of nettle stings. The degree of intensity of 

 the pain appears to depend on the age and size of the zoophyte, 

 as does also its duration. The application of cold water has 

 been found to increase the severity of the symptoms, but vine- 

 gar or oil appear to afford some relief. The irritating power is 

 retained for some time in the vesicles of the cables after they 

 are detached from the body of the zoophyte ; and even linen 

 cloth, used for rubbing off the tightly- adhering portions, was 

 found, when touched, to produce a tingling and pungent sen- 

 sation. 



Mr. Bennett captured great numbers, of different ages and 

 sizes. The older specimens, he observed, had lost the rich 

 carmine tint of the crest, which had assumed a dull orange tone. 

 On taking a Physalia out of the water, it was observed 

 that the bladder quivered with a contractile muscular power, 

 and the beak also, but there was evidently no power of con- 

 tracting the vesicle or expelling the air. After closely examin- 

 ing the lower appendages attached to the base of the vesicular 

 body, Mr. Bennett arrived at the conclusion that they varied in 



