“That is curious enough,” said the old gentleman, “for there is a kind of Zoophyte which is common in the West Indies, the proper English name of which is the Portuguese man-of-war; but it is very different from these. When seen floating on the water, it looks like a little weaver’s shuttle; but it is in fact a bladder inflated with air, having a ridge down the back like a cock’s comb, beautifully tinted with rose colour, the bladder itself being of a purplish hue at both ends. Below hang a number of thread-like appendages, some of which are straight, and some twisted, and all of which are of a beautiful dark blue or purplish hue. The animal possesses the power of contracting and dilating its bladder, and raising up the narrowest part, so as to make it serve for the purposes of a sail. There is also a little hole in the narrow part of the bladder, only large enough to admit a very fine bristle; through this the animal appears to squeeze out the air when it wishes to descend.” “I have often seen the Portuguese men-of-war,” said a naval officer who stood near them. “I dare say there are fifty sorts of these creatures in the West Indies, and there are a great many also of the Medusæ, which are a thousand times more beautiful than those we have been looking at here.” “There are many different kinds of sea-jellies, or bubbles,” said Mr. Merton, “in the British seas, and it is said that many kinds were found formerly, which now appear to be extinct. It is even supposed that the curious marks in the old red sandstone of Forfarshire, which are called Kelpies’ feet, are occasioned by sea-jellies having been left by the sea on the sandstone, and lain there till decayed.” “The Kelpies were supposed to be water-spirits,—were they not?” said the young man. “Yes,” replied Mr. Bevan: “I remember, when travelling in the Highlands, hearing many strange stories about them.” While they were conversing in this manner, the steam-boat made rapid progress, and they now approached Calshot Castle, a fort situated on a small head-land jutting into the sea. “That fort,” said the old gentleman, “was built in the time of Henry VIII., to protect the entrance to Southampton water; and it is still used as a garrison, though the force it contains is but small. We are now in the Solent Sea, which divides the mainland from the Isle of Wight; and there,” he continued, “is the Island itself.” They all turned to look; and Agnes was very much astonished to find it so near. “How do you like the Isle of Wight?” asked her mamma. “It looks a pretty mountainous country,” said Agnes; “and more like Scotland than any thing I have before seen in England.” “You will find it very different,” said the old gentleman, turning to Agnes, “when you see it nearer.” “Every thing is on a much smaller scale,” said Mrs. Merton; “but there is certainly some resemblance.”