564 
THE GHRYSAORA . 
DISC-BEARERS; DISCOPHORA. 
We now come to a very large order of acalephs, including all those beings which are so 
familiar under the title of Jelly Fishes, Slobbebs, and similar euphonious names. They 
are all united under the name of Discophora, or disc-bearers, because they are furnished with 
a large umbrella-like disc, by means of which they are enabled to proceed through the water. 
Each order is separated into several tribes, the first of which is termed Gymnophthalmata, 
or Naked-eyed Medusae, because the little ocelli, or eye-specks, are either uncovered or alto- 
gether absent. The edge is either simple or branched. The name of Medusae is given to these 
creatures on account of the long trailing filaments which depend from them like the snaky 
locks of Medusa from her head. In the Naked-eyed Medusae, the circulating vessels may be 
seen radiating to the edge either simple or branched. 
A good example of the family Sarsiadae is the Sarsia tubuloscc. This family contains 
^several genera. All the Sarsiae are pretty little creatures, and may be known by the four 
simple nutritive vessels and the egg-tubes placed in the footstalk. In this genus the umbrella 
is nearly hemispherical, and there are four tentacles set at the ends of the radiating vessels. 
Though small, the Sarsiae are interesting to the naturalist, on account of the curious 
method by which the young are produced, sprouting like buds from the footstalk, and pre- 
senting a very strange aspect as they project in different stages of development. In their first 
stage, the young Sarsiae are nothing more than simple prominences upon the surface of the 
footstalk, and gradually increase in size, developing first one part and then another, until at 
last the little creatures are quite perfect, shake themselves free from the parent, and com- 
mence an independent existence. 
There is a curious species of this genus, JSarsia prolifera , in which the base of every ten- 
tacle is supplied with a little bunch of young Medusae, some just making their first appearance 
as mere lumps of gelatinous substance, some half -grown, and others nearly ready to free them- 
selves from the parent stock. 
The members of the next family are known by their flattened discs and the egg-tubes 
running linearly along the vessels. The Eudora undulosa is a prominent species of this 
family. It is a rather curious creature which is devoid of footstalks and appendages, and has 
a disc almost as flat as a biscuit. In the pretty JEquorea cyanea the disc is rather more con- 
vex than in the preceding genus, the footstalk is very wide and expands into many lobes, with 
long and broad fringes ; and the tentacles are very slender and variable in number. The 
present species inhabits the South seas. 
A beally fine creature is the Ghrysaora lutea. It belongs to the next tribe of the order, 
wherein the eye-specks are covered by certain flaps, and the circulating vessels united into a 
kind of network. This tribe is further divided into two families, in the first of which, the 
true Medusae, solid food is received into a mouth ; and in the second, there is no mouth, but 
nourishment is absorbed through the ends of branching vessels. 
The Chbysaoba belongs to the first of these families, and may be recognized by the long 
unfringed but furbelowed arms. A fine species belonging to this genus, Ghrysaora cyclo- 
nota , was kept for some time by Mr. Gosse, and has afforded many useful hints to the students 
of Natural History. Experiments were made for the purpose of ascertaining the method of 
obtaining food, and it was discovered that the furbelowed arms as well as the tentacles are 
used for catching prey. A dead white-bait was first given to the Medusa, and, after having- 
been caught by the tentacles and furbelows, was delivered to the former organs, the latter 
relinquishing their hold. Very gradually it was shifted towards the mouth of tne footstalk, 
and there held for about an hour, when it was released and fell to the bottom of the vessel. 
Thinking that the fish might have been too large a morsel for the Medusa, the experi- 
menter next supplied the animal with a small piece of cooked meat. This was seized as the 
fish had been, and during the course of the night was conveyed into one of the four cavities 
