32 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO lOjI. 



quarter of an hour or less, the light was vanished. But water could not so 

 easily destroy this light; for putting one of the pieces into a china cup, almost 

 full of cold water, the light did not only appear through that liquor, but above 

 an hour after it was vigorous enough not to be eclipsed by being looked on at 

 no great distance from a burning candle. On conveying one of the larger lumi- 

 nous pieces into a small receiver, the pump was plied in the dark, and on the 

 gradual removal of the air, there was perceived a gradual diminution of the light, 

 though it never quite disappeared, as the light of rotten wood and glow worms 

 were observed to do; but by the hasty increase of light, that disclosed itself in 

 the veal upon admitting the air into the exhausted receiver, it appeared that the 

 decrement, though but slowly made, had been considerable. This experiment 

 was once more repeated with the like success ; which, though it was a proof 

 that this luminous matter was more vigorous, or tenacious, than that of most 

 other shining bodies, yet there remained some doubt, whether the light would 

 not have been much more impaired, if not made to vanish quite, if the subject 

 of it could have been kept long enough in the exhausted receiver. — It was also 

 found, that a leg of the same veal had some shining places in it, though but 

 very few and faint, in comparison of those that were conspicuous in the above 

 mentioned neck. — A luminous piece of it included in a phial, after three days 

 shone as vigorously as ever ; the 4th day its light was also conspicuous, so that 

 it could be seen even in the day time, in a dark corner of the room ; but before 

 the ensuing night the light began to decay, and the offensive smell to grow 

 somewhat strong; which seems to argue, that the disposition, by which the 

 veal became luminous, may very well consist, both with its being, and not being, 

 in a state of putrefaction; and consequently is not likely to be derived from the 

 one or the other. The 5th day, in the morning, looking upon it before the 

 curtains were opened, it seemed to be more luminous than the preceding day; 

 the same night it was manifest enough in the dark, though not vivid. The 

 6th day, in the morning after sun-rising, there was within the curtains a glim- 

 mering light observable; but the seventh day, late at night, no light at all was 

 discernible. — Some time after a pullet was observed to shine in four or five 

 places in the same larder; though not so large as those of the veal, yet almost 

 as vivid; and all these luminous parts were upon or near the rump, and that 

 which appeared most like a spark of fire, shone at the very top of that part ; yet 

 the fowl was fresh and sound. 



