318 COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SHORE; 



how in the brilliant night scenes of the tropical 

 seas this light shines brighter still, we may per- 

 chance be told that the light is caused by the 

 sheathing of the hulk striking fire in consequence 

 of her rapid motion. But the naturalist has a 

 different tale to tell, and he can show how the 

 phosphorescent light is caused by the masses of 

 the dead inhabitants of the deep, by the gleams 

 given out by several crustaceous animals, by 

 zoophytes, by various fishes and animalcules. But 

 most of all is this phosphorescence attributable to 

 the innumerable swarms of jelly-fishes, which in 

 the day time delight us with tints of various hues, 

 and compose 



"The luminous life 



That makes the dark nocturnal ocean bright 

 With constellated clusters of rare things, 

 Group'd or apart ; seeming in lustrous grace 

 Fantastic wreaths of many-colour'd gems 

 Instinct with living fire : or here and there, 

 Glittering in golden glory : flashing forth 

 Metallic white or tremulous silver, cinqued 

 By ambient tints of sapphire, pink and blue. 

 As if some opulent spirit of the sea 

 Had, from his treasury of precious stones, 

 Flung up his choicest treasures on the waves, 

 To bathe their beauties in the meek moonshine." 



In our seas these glowworms of the deep belong 

 chiefly to the Medusae, which, of microscopic 

 minuteness and in inconceivable profusion, swarm 

 in every drop of ocean, while the larger kinds 

 may often be seen gliding near its surface, and 

 lying in multitudes on our shores. In some regions 

 the waters are crowded with myriads of minute 

 jelly-fishes ; and in the Red Sea, according to Mr. 

 Salt, they teem in such abundance as to bear a 

 proportion of one third or even one half to a given 



