Scientific Intelligence.— Zoology. 389 



diately near the vessel, shewed the base of the high, frowning, 

 and dark land abreast ; the sky became lowering and intensely 

 dark. The oldest sailors had never seen any thing of the kind 

 to compare with it, except the captain, who said that he had ob- 

 served something of the kind in the Trades. Long tortuous 

 lines of light, in a contraiy direction to the sea, shewed us im- 

 mense numbers of very large fish darting about as if in conster- 

 nation at the scene. The sprit-sail yard and mizen-boom were 

 lighted by the reflection, as though gas lights had been burning 

 immediately under them; and until just before day-break, at 

 four o'clock, the most minute objects in a watch were distinctly 

 visible. Day broke very slowly, and the sun rose of a fiery and 

 threatening aspect. Rain followed. Captain Bonnycastle caused 

 a bucket o'f this fiery water to be drawn up ; it was one mass of 

 light when stirred by the hand, and not in sparkles, as usaal, 

 but in actual corruscations. A portion of this water kept in an 

 open jug preserved its luminosity for seven nights. On the third 

 night th°e scintillations in the sea re-appeared, and were rendered 

 beautifully visible by throwing a line overboard and towing it 

 along astern of the vessel. On this evening the sun went down 

 very singularly, exhibiting in its descent a double sun ; and when 

 only a few degrees above the horizon, its spherical figure chan- 

 ged into that of a long cyUnder, which reached the horizon. In 

 the night the sea became nearly as luminous as before. On the 

 fifth night, the luminous appearance nearly ceased. Captain 

 Bonnycastle is of opinion that this phenomenon is caused, not by 

 living marine animals, but from phosphoric matter evolved from 

 exuviae and secreted matter of fishes, kc.—Trans. Lit. and 

 Hist. Society of Quebec, vol. i. 



ANTHBOPOLOGT. 



28. The Norwegians.—^ e must not judge of the Norwe- 

 gians by the Enghsh standard. Most were ruined, and all ira- 

 poverished, by the late war ; and the bankruptcy of the Danish 

 government added to their misfortunes. We cannot then ex- 

 pect to find among them the comforts of England ; but they 

 make amends for the want of them by the heartfelt kindness 

 with which they receive us. The women, too, will bear no 

 comparison with the dainty dames of more fortunate countries. 



