260 Dr. R. Wight on the Fruit of the 



mularia cristata, and though it had been too long exposed to 

 the cold air, it emitted, on being shaken, a little light. Only 

 a few of the denticles sent forth their stars, and they were 

 very minute, and of a darker red. 



From these experiments, may we not surmise that the 

 power of emitting phosphoric light is more generally pos- 

 sessed by the inhabitants of the deep than we are apt to 

 imagine ? We are not yet at liberty to say that it is pos- 

 sessed by all marine Zoophytes ; but certain it is that it is 

 by many. Neither are we entitled to say that it is possessed 

 by all Mollusca tunicata ; but we know for certain, what I 

 think was not known before, that it is the property of one of 

 them; and what is possessed by one, may also belong to 

 more. As little are we entitled to say that it is possessed by 

 all the little Medusa which as transparent jellies abound in 

 the sea ; but as it is known that it is possessed by some of 

 them, may they not in general be phosphorescent when agi- 

 tated ? And as they are at times very numerous in the sea, 

 may not the beautiful phosphorescence of sea-water at certain 

 seasons, when put in motion, be owing to them and to marine 

 Infusories, which in numbers numberless are found in the 

 deep? And is it certain that it is not possessed by some 

 fishes ? The first time I spent a summer night at sea was in 

 the herring fishing season ; and the sailors showed me how to 

 ascertain whether the herring shoals were near at handv 

 When a smart blow was given to the vessel, the percussion 

 was communicated to the deep, and immediately a flash of 

 light was seen at a considerable depth, and this the sailors as- 

 sured me was from the shoal of herrings. If this was phos- 

 phoric light emitted by these finny wanderers, then is this 

 phosphorescent quality possessed by Zoophytes, Medusae, 

 Mollusca tunicata, and fishes. D. L. 



XXXIV. — Remarks on the Fruit of the Natural Order Cucur- 

 bitaceae. By Robert Wight, M.D., F.L.S., &c* 



The order Cucurbit acece is perhaps one of the most curious 

 and inexplicable in the system of plants, and though at differ- 

 ent times much studied by several eminent botanists, is still 

 imperfectly understood ; at least if we may judge from the 

 fact, that no two writers on the distribution of plants accord- 

 ing to their natural affinities seem to agree as to what families 

 are its nearest allies. It is not now my intention to examine 



* From the Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 28, p. 43. 



