, the lower half a fish.

MERMAID'S GLOVE. The name of a peculiar sponge, _Spongia palmata_,
abundant at Bermuda.

MERMAID'S PURSE. The oblong horny cases with long filiform appendages
developed from each of the four corners, found on the sea-shore, being
the outer covering of the eggs of several species of rays and sharks.
Also, the hollow root of the sea-weed _Fucus polyschides_.

MERRY DANCERS. The glancings and coruscations of the _aurora borealis_,
or northern lights.

MERRY MEN OF MAY. Dangerous currents formed by the ebb-tides.

MESON. A very old form of spelling _mizen_.

MESS. Any company of the officers or crew of a ship, who eat, drink, and
associate together. (_See_ NUMBER.) Also, the state of a ship in a
sudden squall, when everything is let go and flying, and nothing hauled
in.

MESS-DECK. The place where a ship's crew mess.

MESSENGER. A large cable-laid rope, used to unmoor or heave up the
anchor of a ship, by the aid of the capstan. This is done by binding a
part of the messenger to the cable by which the ship rides, in several
places, with pliant nippers, and by winding another part of it about
the capstan. The messenger has an eye-splice at each end, through which
several turns of a strong lashing are passed, forming an endless rope.
So that by putting on fresh nippers forward, and taking them off as they
are hove aft, the capstan may be kept constantly going, and the cable is
walked in without stopping. (_See_ VIOL.) A superior plan is now
adopted, in which the messenger, consisting of a pitch chain which has a
double and single link alternately, works in iron spurs fastened above
the lower rim of the capstan. This avoids the trouble of shifting or
fleeting the messenger while heaving in. Again, the cable itself is
commonly brought to the capstan.--_Light forward the messenger!_ is the
order to pull the slack of it towards the hawse holes, on the slack or
opposite side, so as to be ready to fasten upon the cable which is being
hove in, as it comes off the manger-roller at the bows.

MESSENGERS. Boys appointed to carry orders from the quarter-deck. In
some ships they wore winged caps of the Mercury type.

MESS-KID. A wooden tub for holding cooked victuals or cocoa.

MESSMATE. A companion of the same mess-table, hence comrades in many
ways; whence the _saw_: "Messmate before a shipmate, shipmate before a
stranger, stranger before a dog."

MESS-TRAPS. The kids, crockery, bowls, spoons, and