BY INFERIOR ORGANISMS. 119 



mon glowworm. Oceana hemispJi<jerica, another 

 minute creature described by the same naturalist,, 

 appears " enveloped with a shining crown." 



At the present day it appears doubtless that 

 certain small crustaceans are occasionally phos- 

 phorescent; especially the species Cancer fulg ens 

 already mentioned, and Cyclops quadricornis. 



Many mollusks have also been seen to shine at 

 night, especially certain Pholades which bore into 

 ships, etc., and, according to some authors, cer- 

 tain terrestrial species. Concerning these mol- 

 lusks, it is well known that they shine intensely 

 after death ; but do they shine when alive ? I have 

 not been able to solve this query. The other ani- 

 mals alluded to have been frequently seen, and 

 many of them by myself, in a shining condition 

 during life. 



Fig. 19. 



The different species of Cephalopoda which live 

 near the shore, and some Pteropoda, have been seen 

 to be self-luminous. The same may be said of the 

 curious organisms called BiphoreSj Dyphises, Phy- 



