421 



LUMINOSITY OF THE OCEAN. 



{See Page 35, Vol. i.) 



Mr. F. D. Bennett, exhibited, at a meeting 

 of the Zoological Society, on the 25th of 

 June, 1833, several specimens of a species of 

 Pja'osoma, captured by him, on the 6th of Sep- 

 tember, 1832, at sea, in latitude V AY north, 

 longitude IP 56' west. Between 2 and 4 a. m. 

 the sea, having been two hours before less lumi- 

 nous than usual, presented one mass of bright 

 phosphoric light, extending to a considerable dis- 

 tance around the vessel. The extensive field of 

 bright luminous matter emitted so powerful a 

 light as to illuminate the sails, and to permit a 

 book of small print to be read with facility near 

 the windows of the stern cabins. Above this 

 luminous field numerous sea fowl were hovering 

 in search of their prey. The light appeared to 

 be entirely owing to the Pyrosomata. 



Specimens taken from the sea and placed in a 



