314 DECEMBER 



scene was as novel as beautiful and interesting ; more 

 so from my having ascertained, by capturing luminous 

 animals, the cause of the phenomenon. 



" The second occasion of my meeting these creatures 

 was not exactly similar to the preceding ; but though 

 also limited, was curious, as occurring in a high lati- 

 tude, during the winter season. It was on the 19th of 

 August, the weather dark and gloomy, with light breezes 

 from north-north-east, in lat. 40 30' S., and long. 138 

 3' E., being then distant about 368 miles from King's 

 Island (at the western entrance of Bass's Straits). It 

 was about eight o'clock P.M. when the ship's wake was 

 perceived to be luminous ; and scintillations of the same 

 light were also abundant around. As this was unusual, 

 and had not been seen before, and it occasionally, also, 

 appeared in larger and smaller detached masses, giving 

 out a high degree of brilliancy, to ascertain the cause, 

 so unusual in high latitudes during the winter season, 

 I threw the towing-net overboard, and in twenty minutes 

 succeeded in capturing several Pyrosomata, giving out 

 their usual pale-green light ; and it was, no doubt, de- 

 tached groups of these animals that were the occasion 

 of the light in question. The beautiful light given out 

 by these molluscous animals soon ceased to be seen 

 emitted from every part of their bodies ; but by moving 

 them about it could be reproduced for some length of 



