BELL MEDUSA. 



Generic Character, 



Body gelatinous, orbicular, (commonly) deprefled. 

 Mouth central, beneath. 



Si'ECiFic Character, 



HYALINE BELL-SHAPED MEDUSA, with 

 four tentacula annexed to the body, and about 

 fixteen marginal filiform cirri. 



The genus Medufa is of all other marine animals 

 the moft tender, and feemingly the moft defencelefsj 

 confifting of a gelatinous mafs of different figure and 

 denfity in the different fpecies, and furnilhed with a 

 certain number of arms or tentacular proceffes pro- 

 ceeding from its under furface. In confequence of 

 -^this extreme delicacy, the fpecies of Medufa are 

 fcarce capable of being preferved in fpirits, or any 

 other way, without fuffering fuch a derangement in 

 their figure as to prevent them from being accurately 

 afcertained. Hence this genus of all others- feems 

 the leaft accurately known; fince nothing but figures^ 

 executed from the living animals in their native wa- 

 ters, can convey a juft idea of their real and natural 

 sippearance. They are animals which are by no 



means 



