] 6 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [OCT. 19, 



found it abounded with u minute organism which lie regarded as 

 the source of the diffused luminosity of the sea. However, he 

 had not observed phosphorescence in the individual organism 

 beneath the microscope, after hours of examination. In Noctihica 

 that had been seen. But by pouring alcohol or other fluids into 

 the sea-water, in a dark room, points of light were i)roduced, 

 which gradually faded and disappeared. He also found tiiat the 

 damp sand which had been above the sea-line, even several days, 

 showed phosphorescent points when agitated. These experi- 

 ments were exhibited to the members after adjournment. 



This organism he had thought was probably a new and smaller 

 species of Noctiluca, but he now abandoned that idea. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. C. F. Cox said that the form of the organism, according 

 to Dr. Julien's drawing, resembled bacteria j but that the 

 flagellum would be a new feature, and that phosphorescence of 

 the bacteria would also be a new and very interesting quality. 

 Pliosphorescence of the sea was not confined to the open coast. 

 He had observed a diffused luminosity of the water in the Kill 

 von Kull. He thought that the phosphorescence referred to by 

 Dr. Julien might possibly be of local development, and not 

 connected with warm bands of water from the Gulf Stream. He 

 also suggested that, perhaps, the liglit referred to might be due 

 to acalephce, and the organisms under discussion accompanied the 

 decay of the former; and even the phosphorescence of the sand 

 might be due to the decaying animal matter. 



Dr. N. L. Brixton suggested that the organism might be the 

 zoospores of acalephce, or other recognized animals. 



Prof. D. S. Martin referred to the extreme abundance of 

 free ascidians {Salpa Cabotti), in the waters of the harbor and 

 vicinity in certain years. Especially had this been the case in 

 1875, when the shores of Coney IsUind and New Jersey were 

 strewn with them for weeks. Dr. Tellkampf, our lately de- 

 ceased member, and the speaker, had made them a suljject of 

 study at that time. Prof. Martin was disposed to think that 

 the organism in question might be a very young stage of Salpa, 



