232 ANIMALS OF LAND AND SEA 



phosphorescent fishes, of which there are very many different 

 kinds. Nearly all of these are of small size. Most of them 

 live in the open ocean below the sunlit upper layer of water, 

 some coming to the surface after dark; but a number are 

 bottom livers, and a few live in shallow water on the shores. 



In the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico and on the west 

 coast from California to Chile there is a curious type of toad- 

 fish {Porichthys) provided with numerous little luminous spots 

 arranged in several fines. 



The so-called "Bombay duck" is a strange fish occurring on 

 the coasts of India and in the East Indies, normally inhabiting 

 deep water, but at certain seasons coming to the surface. It 

 is caught in large quantities on the western coast of India, 

 salted and dried, and exported from the Malabar and from 

 Bombay. When freshly caught this fish is brightly phosphor- 

 escent, though it has no special fight organs. 



There are two fishes fiving in shallow water in parts of the 

 East Indies which have special highly luminous spots com- 

 bined wdth an arrangement for covering up the light. These 

 fishes are peculiar in that it appears their light is not of their 

 own creation, but arises from luminous bacteria which five 

 upon them in special regions formed for their reception. 



Some of the fishes fiving at the surface, especially the flying- 

 fishes, if you cut them open in the dark emit a brilliant light 

 which comes from the many luminous creatures they have 

 eaten. 



A little fish common in the Caribbean called the ballyhoo or 

 half-beak has the point of the lower jaw greatly produced with 

 a light organ on the tip. 



A number of phosphorescent fishes are fike the "Bombay 

 duck" in being luminous all over, shining with a greenish glow. 

 Some of the macrourids are of this nature. Lieut.-Col. Alcock 

 says of the fish caUed Leptoderma that the whole skin seems 

 to be transformed into a phosphorescent overcoat. 



About a dozen kinds of little sharks are luminous. In one 

 caught by the "ChaUenger" the entire lower surface of the 



