PRIVATE LIFE OF JELLY-FISH

Evening Star, Issue 22142, 24 September 1935, Page 1

PRIVATE LIFE OF JELLY-FISH

My fellow men hare no good word tor the jelly-fish, and this is especially true of bathers, writes W. P. Pycroft, in the ‘Daily Mail.’ But here, as usual, the innocent have to suffer for the /guilty. For, of the four or five large species likely to be met with at any of our seaside resorts, only two. are to be carefully avoided. ,i Unfortunately, they have no name in common speech. One of these is Cyauea, the other _ Chrysaora, and their sting is very painful for several hours. Cyanea may be distinguished by its bright blue colour and long, .streaming bundles of tentacles, carrying the stinging threads. Chrysaora, which is yellow, also has long tentacles hanging down from the mushroom-like pulsating body. But neither of these is so common or so large as the harmless Aurelia, almost transparent, milkywhite in colour, and measuring, perhaps, as much as lOin across the top, which is marked by four horseshoeshaped loops of a rosy pink. It has only short, inconspicuous tentacles. At the end of the fleshy stalk, common to all the tribe, and hanging from the under surface, is the mouth. The largest of all our jelly-fish is the Giant jelly-fish, Rhisos toma, which may measure as much as two feet across, and as much as four feet to tho end of the handle hanging down from the centre of the “ umbrella.” This has a margin of greenish-blue or purple and a reel band. There can thus he no mistaking it, and since it is quite harmless the swimmer may circle round it, to admire its wonderful movements and play of colour. The Giant jelly-fish has the kindly habit of “ mothering ” young horsemackerel and whiting. As many as a hundred at a time have been seen sheltering under its “umbrella.” But besides these, there may also be found a small crustacean (Hyperia galba) climbing about on the top of this umbrella and darting off for food, or underneath for shelter if alarmed. Another and very different type of jelly-fish is often thrown up on the beach in thousands. This is' the little “sea gooseberry,” or Beroc. When swimming in the sea it looks like a tiny, crystal balloon, with two long, trailing streamers, or tentacles. The body is propelled by eight vertical rows of tiny paddles, like those ot the old paddle boats. It has no stinging cells, for the capture of its prey, after the fashion of the jelly-fish just described, but, instead, its tentacles bear spiral threads, which can be thrown out, lasso fashion, to wind around small fish or other prey of suitable size. The chances of being stung by jellyfish during tho morning swim are very remote, but some may prefer to watch them from a boat. Thrown-up on the beach, their glory has departed. _ All that remains is a mere mass of jelly, and since some 90 per cent, of this consists of water, after about an hour nothing is loft to tell of their mournful end*