THE I'llYSALlA. 



5 



abuiulaiici' ui priiic inoii(>y, l>ut which we hSitdly 

 supposed wdiilil ever he realized. 



Tliere are various objects well calculated to 

 &£cite interesl td a. nattmatlst luting long 

 voyagB) and to furnish both amus^^i ai)id In* 

 struction. The splendid Phi/mUa, or Portu- 

 guese iiiau of war, "* is often seen Hoating by the 

 ship ; tlie inflated, or bladder portion of this 



npm fk(^ irhUgt ihie isen- 

 tacufca of a deep purple colour extend beneatji, 

 aa ^ares to cajiture its prey. It is oftentimes 

 amusing to see persons eager to secure the ^audy 

 prize ; but they find, by pajiifpl titpdeiiee^ 

 tlmt.^ Bke^ Maiiy^ <?ther Wjtifiill obj^ets; of the 

 gfsalion, they possess hidden torments ; for no 

 sooner have they grasped the tinted and curious 

 animal, than, encircling its long filiform appen- 

 dages 0ver th& fingers of its eapturer, 

 it iniB^cts mc^ pong^at fdin by means ot an acrid 

 fluid discharged from them, as to cause ^in'tO 

 drop the prize, and attend to the smarting occ^a* 

 sioned by it. 

 Tills beautiftii molluscortS ^mfmal inhabits ^ 



* Tliey are called " Guinea Ships" l>y the old navigators, 

 i^Qm their floating like a vessel on the water, and from hav- 

 txi^ vm^ |)robably been Jir$t seen m gj^eatmnnbers Bhaat th^ 

 Coast and gulf of Guioea* 



