82 THE STORY OF LIFE IN THE SEAS. 



A few rare specimens have been found in the 

 Coral blocks in shallow water, but it is generally 

 supposed that the majority of them live in deep 

 water on the outer side of the reefs. It is not 

 confined by any means to Samoa. It occurs also 

 in Fiji, Tonga and other Pacific islands. A 

 Worm similar to the Palolo in habits was de- 

 scribed years ago by Rumphius in the Malay 

 Archipelago, and Saville Kent mentions a little 

 Nereid worm with similar spawning habits on 

 the great Barrier-reef of Queensland. 



CHAPTER IV. 



SURFACE-SWIMMING FAUNA (INVERTEBRATES). 



EVERYONE of an observant turn of mind must 

 have noticed that in the wake of a boat that is 

 passing through the water on a calm summer's 

 night, sparks of bright phosphorescent light may 

 be seen to appear, to remain for a few seconds, , 

 and then become extinguished again. Sometimes 

 the breaking of the ripples on the surface of ; 

 the water seems to be sufficient to cause these 

 sparks to appear, but occasionally streaks and I 

 flashes of pale blue light arise and disappear; 

 without apparently any such mechanical disturb- 

 ance. 



The phosphorescence of the sea, as this pheno- 

 menon is called, is common enough on our coasts, 

 but it never reaches the degree of brilliancy and 

 beauty which is so remarkable in the open Atlan- 

 tic Ocean, the South Seas, and some other parts 



