576 History of Luminescence 



No further observations on free swimming marine worms occur 

 until the middle of the eighteenth century when Vianelli, professor 

 of medicine in Chioggia, Griselini, a physician in Venice and the 

 Abbe Nollet (1700-1770) , during the year 1749 and 1750, discovered 

 luminous specks in the canals of Venice. The Italians published 

 drawings of the animals, called Scolopendra marina, which were 

 undoubtedly annelids, and which Panceri later (1878) identified 

 as belonging to the family Syllidae or Nereidae. The Abbe actually 

 went into the water and saw the worms dart from the bottom 

 covered with weeds in a manner that greatly resembled the motions 

 of insects. On catching them only luminous specks appeared on his 

 handkerchief. 



These accounts aroused great interest since they came at a time 

 when many were beginning to attribute phosphorescence of the sea 

 to small animals or " insects." ^* The Vianelli paper was translated 

 and appeared in the Universal Magazine for December, 1751. V. 

 Donati mentioned these scolopendres in his Histoire Naturelles de 

 la Met Adriatic (1750) and A. D. Fougeroux de Bondaroy saw them 

 at Venice in 1767. He noted the bluish light, and that the " insect " 

 would luminesce until it dried. However, Fougeroux de Bondaroy 

 was not convinced that all phosphorescence of the sea was due to 

 living organisms but inclined to believe that several causes, electric 

 fire and particularly phosphoric material from decomposition of ani- 

 mal and plant substance, might be involved. 



New descriptions of marine annelids from other regions soon 

 appeared. C. F. Adler, a Swedish physician who journeyed to China, 

 figured a luminous worm (see figure 38) in his dissertation, De 

 Noctiluca Marina (1752) , carried out under the direction of Lin- 

 naeus, and Henry Baker in Employment for the Microscope (1753) 

 devoted one chapter to " Luminous Water Insects." He received a 

 description of sparks of light found in oyster shells and a drawing 

 from " a Friend whom I can depend on," who " after many Exami- 

 nations became perfectly convinced, that these shining Sparks are 

 lucid Emanations from a minute Insect, differinsf in its oreneral Form 

 but little from the common Scolopendra." The figure shows a worm, 

 probably a syllid, about 1/8 inch long and 1/100 inch wide. " This 

 little Insect can emit or conceal its Light: and sometimes its Lustre 



^* Father Torrubia made observations about the same time as those of Vianelli, 

 Griselini, and the Abb(^ Nollet but in another part of the world. In his Asparato para 

 la historia natural espanola (1754) there is an account of " phosphoros marinos " 

 observed near Jucatan. The sea was greenish by day and very luminous at night, 

 owing to a small marine Scolopendra with ten feet on each side. Father Torrubia 

 attributed the luminescence on sea turtles (Xicoteas) , which the Spaniards ate, and 

 also the light of rotten wood to these " insects." 



