Marvels of the Universe 1099 
(Cyanea), which in the same manner 
shelters the fry of the whiting. 
An American species is made similar 
use of by a kind of herring; and in 
Australian waters there is a fish called 
Nomeus, which is never found except 
under the protection of a fleet of the 
Portuguese Man-of-War. 
These are strange things, but they 
are well-authenticated by reliable 
observers, though these have not yet 
succeeded in showing why the Jelly- 
fish tolerates companions that it could 
so easily destroy. 
Although on our coasts Rhizostoma 
is usually something under a_ foot 
across, it grows to a much larger size 
in suitable waters. It is more solidly 
built and not so graceful as some of 
its companion species shown in our 
coloured plate. 
Chrysaora, for instance, that is 
at the surface of the water in the 
plate, has delicately-frilled streamers 
nearly a foot in length depending 
from the margin of its mouth, and 
from the edge of its umbrella there 
are a great number of long thread- 
like tentacles for catching food. 
These threads in many of the 
species are furnished with stinging 
hairs, which paralyze small creatures 
by contact, and affect the tender 
human skin much like the stings of [By 7. Carreras. 
the nettle. Some writers have given JELLY-FISH AND HORSE-MACKEREL. 
rather terrible accounts of the after- The fry of the Horse-mackerel commonly follow and swim around 
effects of these stings but much this Jelly-fish, known as Rhizostoma, keeping under the shadow of its 
> 
big umbrella and when danger threatens sheltering among its trailing 
depends on individual sensitiveness. ribbons. 
THE WOOD ANT 
BY H. ST. J. K. DONISTHORPE, F.E.S. 
THE Wood Ant is widely distributed in Britain, living chiefly in pine-woods, where it builds up its 
well-known hillocks. These are chiefly composed of pine-needles, but the ants also use small bits 
of stick, leaves, and any vegetable or other material handy. We have seen a nest chiefly composed 
of small pebbles, and the ants are very fond of carrying in lumps of yellow resin from the pine trees, 
called ‘‘ ant amber.’ Some nests in the north are often full of it. In Leicestershire, where this 
ant occurs in oak woods, the nests are built chiefly of oak twigs, and in some places nests built of 
grass may be found. A near relation always uses grass and ling. 
80 
