SEA-BLUBBERS. 
87 
shall briefly exemplify. The seas around our coasts 
swarm in summer with hosts of a little creature which 
lesembles an oval ball of the purest glass, varying from 
the size of a pea to that of a hazel-nut, though there is a 
larger species on the Scottish coast, as big as a lemon. 
Tlie one we speak of is named Cydippe pileus, If we take 
one from the muslin bag of a towiug-uet, and shake it off 
into a tumbler of clear sea-water, we shall have a most 
interesting object before us. Indeed, so perfectly hyaline 
is its consistence, that we must keep a sharp watch on it, 
or it will escape our sight, and wo may not easily find it 
again. From pole to pole of this crystal globe run eight 
bands, like meridians of longitude, across each of which 
are fixed a great number of flat plates, which move up and 
down symmetrically and rapidly, rowing the little ball 
along like so many paddles. By the vigorous action of 
these organs, which, decomposing the rays, play in the 
sun’s light with the most brilliant prismatic colours, the 
Cydippe performs at pleasure the most varied movements, 
with inimitable ease, rapidity, and grace. It shoots with 
force through the water, catching its prey with open 
mouth 5 nor is this always of the most helpless sort ; 
small shrimps of various species form its ordinary food, 
and these are swallowed and digested with surprising 
facility. 
At times the little Cydippe wishes to arrest its motion ; 
and for this purpose it is furnished with two cords of great 
en ath, nhich, whatever other ends they may serve, cer- 
tainly answer the purpose of mooring-cables. At the 
sit es of the body there are two oblong cavities, into which 
t lese threads may be entirely coiled up in an instant, or 
