446 



Marvels of the Universe 



All siphon-bearers are free-swimmers and, therefore, each must have a^swimming apparatus. 

 This is formed of two different organs—the swimming-bells and the swimming-bladders. The 

 swimming-bell resembles the umbrellas of the larger jelly-fish. The swimming-bladder is an air- 

 chamber. We may consider these creatures as colonies of bells. The bells of each colony are 

 joined together in a great variety of ways and positions. The individual bells appear to be able 

 to act as separate creatures, although united ; and they seem to perform their part in Hfe on the 

 division of labour principle. The duty of one set of bells is to steer or push forward the whole 

 craft ; another set looks after the food suppHes, as if commissariat officers ; others produce eggs so 

 necessary for the continuation of the species ; others control the stinging tentacles ; while all take 

 part in the floating of the colony. 



The siphon-bearers are possessed also of curious formations which alternate with the polyps 

 along the polyp-stem. These are the " tasters "—flask-shaped and with a long filament attached 

 to the base. What the function of these "tasters" may be. has not been determined, but what- 

 ever it is, it has nothing to 

 do with " tasting." 



Most beautiful of all the 

 attributes of the Sea-Gos- 

 samer, however, is its quality 

 of giving out a soft phosphor- 

 escent light, illuminating the 

 stem' and the congregated 

 polyps with their waving 

 filaments, and making a 

 miniature auroral curtain 

 floating in the sea. 



A brief description of the 

 four creatures represented in 

 the illustrations will suffice for 

 the purpose of this article. 



The Sea-Comet is one of 

 the siphon-bearers. Its Latin 

 name signifies that its feelers, 

 or tentacles, are devoid of 

 stinging power, and these are single tubules. It is one of the largest of the thread jelly-fish ; 

 its polyp-stem alone attaining to a length of two or three feet. It is composed of transparent 

 tissues, and its S3'stem of float-bearers, illustrated on an enlarged scale on this page, is peculiarly 

 beautiful. 



The Golden Helmet is not more than three-quarters of an inch long ; it is found in the Mediter- 

 ranean, the Indian Ocean, and off the coasts of Greenland and Norway. Unlike most of the siphon- 

 bearers, it only possesses one pair of swimming-bells. The polyps are attached to the stem that 

 branches from the junction of the bells, and to each polyp is attached a capturing tentacle. 



The Bladder-bearer works upon the same principle as the airship. It keeps to the surface waters 

 of the ocean by means of an air-bladder situated at the extremity of a narrow tube, which supports 

 the creature in any position. Underneath there are two rows of bells which contain water and 

 which pulsate rhythmically, with the result that the animal is moved forward as the water is pressed 

 out. The siphons for drawing in food particles and the tentacles which capture and convey the 

 food to them form a mass of slender filaments below the bells. 



The Praya, as its Latin name implies, possesses two swimming-bells. Between the two 

 swimming-bells the end of the long tubular bodv of the animal is attached bv slender tubes, 



IHE ■■FLOATS" OF THE SEA-COMET. 



These beautiful clusters of transparent tissues are ranged at intervals throughout 

 the length of the polyp- stem. Each cluster consists of little polyps. ' tasters," and 

 reproductive bodies. 



