6 



THE PHYSALIA, 



tropical seas, uiitl is also seen in high latitudes 

 during the snmmev months* of the year. When 

 first removed from tlie water, it excites the ad- 

 sxox^ti^ of tlie spectators by the elegmi 

 ytbnd rnimit^ yMi wliidk U h iAmmA^ These 

 tints, however, are as evanesc^Bfet as tliey are 

 brilliant ; and soon after this animal is taken 

 from its native element, tlie crest sinks ; the 

 Ijright criinaon., green, and purple liiti^l^ f3bi^ 



excited so mxich aditiSrStli^ .fedes, and at last 

 totally vanishes. There are a nnmhor of s]>ecies 

 of the genus ;i Imtthe one most commonly seen 

 is the Physalia pdmjica of Lamarck, {Molothuria 

 of LSos*") «ae Jkfiowii 1^ our sea- 

 men a§ tli6 ** Portuguese luea of war,*'^ and 



* Mr, John Fuge, of Plymouth, informed uie that he ca^^ 

 ttiifed a ^S{i«t^»^ ^iS^-^^itMapskgk^ in Hhe Catwsten 



(Plymoutli Sound,) a few years since, in (lie inonlli of Au- 

 gust j it was floating upon the surface of the water, and 

 Ixv^ Hfhm mva^i h« fhfSeid, If in a glMT 0b% ttf ses 



water, and preservi d It ('or three weeks. TlliG(' onfyliROtnSin 

 he objjcrved in tlie animal; was an occasioxUil CtotmB^im and 

 d<itigfi6c»it of the end ^ iftuB! VkMn portW ^ tbe 

 animal, and tiwi tcfltaiuilifi were ateo driiwn up and fchnist 

 forward, 



t l*hy8alis tuberculosa, P. megallat^, 1*i ebngRti}».aiid P. 

 pelagica, are the spedcs givetJ. by Lamarck. (Suf lea 

 Ajiimaux saas Vertebres^ torn, ti* p« 47&) 



