CHAPTER: » Ii. 
THE PHOSPHORESCENCE OF THE SEA. 
THE infusoria are the principal cause of that beautiful phenomenon 
exhibited by the seas of tropical countries, which we call phospho- 
rescence. When the sun has sunk beneath the horizon, innu- 
merable swarms of luminous animalcules are drawn up to the 
surface of the sea by certain meteorological causes. A new light 
dances upon the bosom of the waves. It seems as though the 
ocean were intent upon giving back the floods of light which 
it had received during the day. But this peculiar light does not 
shine uniformly throughout the medium in which it is produced. 
It is emitted here and there in a crowd of star-like points, which 
suddenly burst into a scintillating glow. 
When the sea is calm, we can see upon its surface millions 
of twinkling stars, clouds of which seem to rest upon the watery 
mirror; now they are motionless, now they tremble with a 
luminous quiver, now they are disturbed by lambent tongues of 
flame, which chase each other through their midst. Again they 
re-unite only to separate as quickly, and again to mingle; forming 
at last a vast sheet of phosphorescence, now blue, now a silvery 
white, now shining steadily, now wavering ; while here and there, 
brighter than the surrounding light, shine out sparkling points— 
suns in this ocean firmament. 
When the water is rough the waves seem burnished; and as 
they rise, and roll, and boil, and dash themselves into flakes of 
foam, it seems like the glow and flying sparks of molten metal 
as it flows from the furnace. As they break upon the shore, the 
waves fringe the land with a border of light. The smallest pebble 
is encircled with fiery ripples. 
Nothing is more beautiful than to see a shoal of dolphins sport- 
ing in a phosphorescent sea. In their gambols they fling hither 
and thither the starry spray, and surge the water into seething 
