PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 67 
be almost certain not to yield any spectra at all. Mr. Browning 
concluded by offering to place a number of prisms in his posses- 
sion at the service of any member desirous of going extensively 
into the subject. 
Dr. Mann (of Natal), referring to Major Owen’s suggestion 
as to the application of the spectroscope to the light from living 
organisms, said—The north-eastern side of the Cape (from which 
I come) certainly affords a fine field for research into this parti- 
cular subject. 1 have there passed over places where I have seen 
some dozens of creatures showing greater light than the fire-fly. 
We have in south-eastern Africa curious creatures, which crawl 
on the ground, and show a prodigious amount of light. They 
are not, however, glow-worms, but centipedes. I think we have 
here a fine field for the application of the spectroscope. I have, 
gentlemen, been away from England for some years. When 
I went away the spectroscope was unknown; and now I come 
home literally to find myself at sea, and therefore you will not 
be surprised that, among other matters, I have not taken the 
subject up. I think, however, that it affords a fine field for 
research, which I will do my best to qualify myself to explore. 
The effect obtained from the light on the sea is incredible to 
those who have not witnessed the blaze in some of the southern 
latitudes. In Natal, which is about twenty-nine and a half 
degrees south, we have little phosphorescence, and towards the 
Cape we have less; but in the lower latitudes, both east and west 
of the Cape, the sea is often one blaze of light. 
The Rey. J. B. Reape referred to the researches of Captain 
Toynbee, who had made several voyages to India, and made a 
constant practice of dredging in a manner similar to that which 
had been described, and with great success; and some of the Roftalia 
he thought approximated more to the form of the nautilus than 
any of the drawings which had been produced. 
Major Owrn.—I do not think any of the Rotalia are found on 
the surface. 
The Rev. J. B. Reapr.—lt is not quite that form. Mr. Reade 
concluded by mentioning that he had some magnificent specimens 
which were being mounted under the polarized light. 
Mr. F. H. Wenuam asked Major Owen if he could explain 
how the creatures changed their specific gravity so as to rise to 
the surface and sink again, or whether it resulted from the varying 
temperature of the water. 
Major Owen said he had been unable to trace this out, but 
suggested the possibility of their being able to expand some small 
vesicle to a sufficient degree to enable them to rise. He differed 
from Dr. Wallich, who said that when the creatures were once at 
the bottom of the ocean they could not rise again. If they were 
found at the bottom and also on the surface, they must have some 
means of rising. They must have some means of rising, because 
they did rise at certain times, and he had ascertained that they 
were alive when they did so. 
