40 INTERESTING FACTS. 



extensive sheet of phosphorescence, extending 

 in a direction from east to west as far as the eye 

 could reach ; the luminosity was confined to the 

 range of animals in this shoal, for there was no 

 similar light in any other direction. I imme- 

 diately cast the towing net over the stern of the 

 ship as we approached nearer the luminous 

 streak, to ascertain the cause of this extraordinary 

 and so limited a phenomenon. The ship soon 

 cleaved through the brilliant mass, from which, 

 by the disturbance, strong flashes of light were 

 emitted ; and the shoal (judging from the time 

 the vessel took in passing through the mass) 

 may have been a mile in breadth : the passage 

 of the vessel through them, increased the light 

 around to a far stronger degree, illuminating the 

 ship. On taking in the towing net, it was found 

 half filled with pyrosoma, (atlanticum ?) which 

 shone with a beautiful pale greenish light, and 

 there was also a few small fish in the net at the 

 same time ; after the mass had been passed 

 through, the light was still seen astern until it 

 became invisible in the distance, and the whole of 

 the ocean then became hidden in darkness as be- 

 fore this took place. The scene was as novel as it 

 was beautiful and interesting, more so from having 

 ascertained, by capturing the luminous animals, 

 the cause of the phenomenon. 



The second was not exactly similar to the pre- 



