means uncommon: feveral fpecies fwarm by myriads 

 on the furface of the northern feas, and are fuppofed 

 to make a principal part of the food of whales and 

 other cetaceous fif?i. Several fpecies are alfo found 

 near our own coafts. The MedufiE in general are 

 animals of confiderable beauty of colour ; fome be- 

 ing of an elegant pale green; others tinged with 

 blue, red, and other colours ; and fome are nearly 

 colourlefs, or of a glafs-like appearance. In this 

 latter tribe ranks the fpecies reprefented in the pre- 

 fent plate, which is figured both in its natural fize 

 and magnified : it is principally found in the nor- 

 thern ocean. 



The larger Medufse, when applied to the fkin, are 

 faid to excite a flight degree of inflammation and 

 rednefs ; from which circumflance they have ob- 

 • tained the appellation of urticcc jnarin^y or fea-net- 

 tles ; a title which has alfo been applied to fome 

 very different marine animals, as the Adlinias and 

 fome others* 



