CONTENTS 



CHAPTER PAGE 



I. Light-Producing Organisms 1 



Early records and theories. " Shining fish and flesh." " Burn- 

 ing of the sea." Distribution of luminous organisms in plant 

 and animal kingdoms. Secondary luminosity. False luminos- 

 ity. St. Elmo's fire. Ignis fatuus. Flashing of flowers. 

 Luminosity in man. Use to man of photogenic organisms. 



IL Luminescence and Incandescence 20 



The complete spectrum. Radiation and temperature. "Cold 

 light." Thermoluminescence. Phosphorescence and fluores- 

 cence. Triboluminescence and piezoluminescence. Crystallo- 

 luminescence. Chemiluminescence. 



III. Physical Nature of Animal Light 40 



Purkinje phenomenon. Color and spectra of animal Hght. 

 Polarization. Efficiency of animal light. Infra-red radiation. 

 Ultra-violet radiation. Luminous efficiency and visual sensi- 

 bility. Production of radiation penetrating opaque objects. 

 Intensity of animal light. Summary. 



IV. Structure of Luminous Organs 67 



Photochemical and chemiphotic changes. The eye and the 

 luminous organ. Intracellular and extracellular luminescence. 

 Continuous and intermittent luminescence. Periodicity of 

 luminescence. Luminous bacteria. NocHluca and photogenic 

 granules. Choeto-pierus and luminous gland cells. Cypridina. 

 Luminous glands. The firefly. Luminous organs (photophores) 

 with lenses, reflectors, opaque and color screens. Uses and 

 purpose of animal light. 



V. The Chemistry of Light Production, Part 1 85 



Boyle's and Spallanzani's experiments. Shining wood and burn- 

 ing coal. Oxygen and luminescence. Carbon dioxide and 

 luminescence. Heat production during luminescence. Lumin- 

 escence and respiration. Water and luminescence. Phipson's 

 noctilucin. Luciferin and luciferase. Photogenin and photo- 

 phelein. Proluciferin. Oxy luciferin. Pyrophorin or luciferes- 

 cein. Chemiluminescent reactions. " Biozymoxyluminescence." 



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