Velella Velella: The Stinking Phoenicians

http://flickr.com/photos/51035571242@N01/551144

See it's about these guys, who came in with me. I was among them on the beach - in a blue line - and the seagulls were eating them like candy. I asked them, "who are you?" and they answered in one voice, "PHOENICIANS PHOENICIANS PHOENICIANS PHOENICIANS" well you get my drift. They told me that LAST year there were many more of them and they made a stinking wall three metres deep and 25 cm thick along the high tide line that lasted for weeks, "STINKING STINKING STINKING STINKING STINKING" they said, it was. They can really travel, with that wing thingy on top, although how they navigatge I'll never know. Phoenicians never tell, anyway. This photograph is from last year, just North of here, where I do not plan to go. So these guys have been my companions, and pretty good cover, too, for a small, transparent creature like me, if the sea gulls don't mistakenly eat me as they mow down the Phoenicians. But they are beautiful - see this photo by Phil of one sailing like a Phoenician at:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/

phil_myers/ADW_misc_inverts/jelly7470.jpg/view.html

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