l6o THE BEAUTIFUL LADE EE. 
and shy, the careless observer is never rewarded 
by a sight of its beauty. It is about the size 
of a common marble; but to get a conception 
of its elegance there must be before the mind a 
globe of purest Bohemian glass, blending crys¬ 
tal and colors of the rarest brilliancy. To com¬ 
plete the splendor of its adornments it has two 
long and delicate filaments tasselled to the very 
tips. But, beware! attenuated as these append¬ 
ages are, they have the stings of the larger 
members of their race, and know as well how 
to use them, as the fishermen often find when 
they have to clear their nets of the thousands 
which sometimes entangle them. 
“ Kindred to the last named, but larger and 
more elaborate in a mass of thread-like tenta¬ 
cles, are the Physophora, Praya, and several 
other beautiful members of the Physalia, but 
they must be passed without more special men¬ 
tion. They are wonders of very delicate con¬ 
struction, peculiar in habits, and will well repay 
a careful examination. 
“ Few objects on slight inspection seem less 
interesting than a piece of dull, lifeless sponge, 
but when its curious history is sought out. Na¬ 
ture has few greater marvels. It is the depopu- 
