BIVALVES. 45 
a shining matter, or blueish light, resembling a star, 
about the centre of the shell, which appeared to 
proceed from a small quantity of real phosphorus. 
On being taken from the animal, it extended to 
nearly half an inch in length; and, when immersed 
in water, seemed in every respect the same as the 
phosphorous obtained from bones; but as the Oyster 
was perfectly alive and fresh, the light could not 
proceed from any decomposition of the shell or 
animal. How then was it produced? 
The microscope has been elegantly termed “a 
b) 
portal to things invisible,” as it opens to the natu- 
ralist a knowledge of such phenomena in nature, as 
are too minute to be inspected by the unassisted eye. 
On submitting this apparent phosphorus to a high 
magnifier, it was found to contain three different sorts 
of animalcule ; one of which had no less than forty- 
eight legs attached to a slender body, with a black 
spot on its head, which was evidently its only eye; 
while the back exactly resembled that of an eel when 
deprived of its outer coating. The second insect, 
Polypheme, had also a solitary eye, and numerous 
feet; a nose resembling that of a dog, and a body 
made up of several rings. The third was very 
different, having a speckled body, with a head like 
a foal’s, and a tuft of hair on both sides. Each of 
these extraordinary insects was beautifully luminous, 
and altogether they resembled a blueish star. 
