United States, with the Megatherium of' Paraguay. 329 



from that whose remains are now in the cabinet of the Lyceum ; 

 thus shewing, that parts of at least two different skeletons of 

 this animal have been discovered in the United States, 



On the Luminotisness of the Ocean. 



1. HE luminousness of the ocean is one of the most beautiful 

 phenomena of nature, which excites surprise, although, for 

 months together, it may be seen every night. The sea is phos- 

 phorescent in all latitudes ; but he who has not witnessed this 

 phenomenon in the torrid zone, and especially in the Pacific 

 Ocean, can form but an imperfect idea of the magnificence of 

 such a spectacle. When a vessel of war, impelled by a fresh 

 breeze, cleaves the foamy waves, and one is stationed near the 

 shrouds, be cannot be satisfied with viewing the beautiful phe- 

 nomenon which presents itself. Every time that the side of the 

 ship, as she rolls, emerges from the water, flashes of reddish 

 light seem to issue from the keel, and dart toward the surface 

 of the sea. Le Gen til * and the elder Forster "h, ^explained the 

 appearance of these flashes by the electrical friction of the water 

 against the body of the advancing ship. But in the present 

 state of our knowledge, this explanation is no longer admissible. 

 There are few points of natural history respecting which there 

 have been so many disputes as the light emitted by the waters 

 of the ocean. What we know with precision on the subject, re- 

 duces itself to the following facts. There are various shining 

 mollusca which, during their life, emit at pleasure a rather weak 

 phosphoric light, generally of a bluish colour. This is observed 

 in the Nereis noctiluca, the Medusa pelagica^ var. /3 j, and the 

 Monophora noctiluca, discovered during Captain Baudin's expe- 

 dition ||. Of this number are also the microscopic animals, 

 which have not as yet been determined, ajid which Forster saw 

 swimming in the sea in innumerable multitudes, near the Cape 



• Voyage aux Indes, t. i. p. 685-698. 



+ Observations made during a voyage round the world, 1683, p. 67' In 

 German. 



X Forskoe, Faun& iEgyptiaco-Arabica, p. 109. 



11 Bory St Vincent, Voyage aux lies d'Afrique, t. i. p. 107, pL 6- 



