144 REMINISCENCES OF 



NO. III. 



PHOSPHORESCENCE OF THE OCEAN. 



As the glow-worm and the fire-fly enliven the night 

 by land, so do many of the mollusc and other marine 

 animals kindle their mimic fires by sea but on a far 

 grander and more imposing scale. 



If, during a dark night, we watch attentively the ad- 

 vance and retreat of the breakers on the beach, we shall 

 generally perceive the crest of each billow to be illumi- 

 nated by a faint flash at the moment of its fall ; and after 

 the wave subsides, the beach will be spangled with mi- 

 nute but brilliant specs, which shine for a few moments 

 and then disappear. These lights will convey an idea 

 of what is meant by the phosphorescence of the^ocean. 



At all times, and in nearly all situations, the spray 

 thrown up by the bow of the vessel is thickly strewed 

 during the night with little silvery stars, that dance 

 and whirl about among the eddies, until they are lost 

 in the distance. These luminous particles are generally 

 so small that they are caught with difficulty, and so 

 perfectly transparent, that they can scarcely be distin- 



