282 MYTH AND SCIENCE. 



right, now on the left. It moves in a somewhat 

 serpentine course, and is broken in the centre of 

 the lower half. It withdraws from the eye into 

 suhjective space, and the shining band of which 

 it is composed gradually loses its sharp angles, and 

 becomes wider and undulated, while still in motion. 



Another remarkable sensation follows. The shin- 

 ing band, which has dilated until it is withdrawn 

 from the eyes, whether closed or open, to an apparent 

 distance of several yards, becomes tinted with all 

 the colours of the rainbow, standing out in such 

 vivid splendour on the dark background that I have 

 never seen them equalled in nature. Indeed the 

 beauty of this phenomena is amazing. The band, 

 inlaid with various colours, now occupies the whole 

 space, maintaining an equal distance from the closed 

 eyes, and moving continually with a rhythmic undu- 

 lation, while it constantly becomes more vivid. The 

 moving circle continues to dilate until it slowly fades, 

 and at last completely disappears. From its begin- 

 ning to the end, the vision occupies from twenty to 

 twenty-five minutes. 



Throughout the phenomenon I continue to be per- 

 fectly collected and free in mind, so that I can observe 

 it in all its details with perfect calmness, and can also 

 impart my observations to the persons with whom I 

 happen to be. Only when the subjective sensation 

 has ceased, I feel an obscure pain in the brow of the 

 eye in which the phenomenon occurred. This is 



