THE INDIAN OCEAN. 35/ 



would appear at once a great number of these lumi- 

 nous bodies, which retained their brilliant appearance 

 for a few seconds, and then all was dark again. 

 They evidently appeared to have it under their own 

 will, giving out their light frequently at various 

 depths in the water, without any agitation being 

 "iven to the bucket. At times might be seen mi- 

 nute but pretty bright specks of light, darting across 

 a piece of water, and then vanishing ; the motion of 

 the light being exactly that of the Cyclops through 

 the water. Upon removing a tumbler-full from the 

 bucket, and taking it to the light, a number of Cy- 

 clopes were accordingly found swimming and darting 

 about in it."* Dr. l>aird concludes from these facts 

 that the bright globes were large Sea-blubbers 

 {Medusa), and that the sparks were minute Entomo- 

 straca, somewhat similar in form to those figured in 

 the former part of this volume. 



In some highly interesting observations made 

 during a series of years by M. Ehrenberg, chiefly in 

 the Red Sea, we find many minute animals mentioned 

 as luminous ; but it is remarkable that after many 

 trials he could not detect the slightest light from any 

 species of the Entoviostraca. The water was found 

 to be very full of small slimy particles without any 

 definite form, which gave out light when the water 

 was stiri'cd. These were probably Medusce, torn but 

 yet living, as in some cases fragments of the.se ani- 

 mals are very tenacious of life. Several minute Me- 

 dusae of various species gave out light, which seemed 

 to be more vivid ou any extraordinary excitement of 



• Zoologist, 1843, p. 55. 



