314 Luminousness of the Sea, 
It is about the fourteenth of an inch in-length, and appa- 
rently consists of tentacula alone, no cone mies being 
observable. Each of the tentacula is jomted numerously, and 
the whole were arranged somewhat in the form of an hour- 
glass, or like a bundle of faggots, loosely tied in the middle, 
and spreading out at each end, (fig. 81.d) The tentacula evi- 
dently appeared to be connected in the centre, but were loose, 
and unattached at the extremities. They occurred princi- 
pally in the Straits of Malacca, but were also frequently seen 
in the open ocean. No description or representation of these 
two last-mentioned animals, as far as I know, has ever been 
given. I consider myself, therefore, entitled to conclude, in 
the mean time, that they are new species; but, as Dr. Maccul- 
loch has ascertained a great number of new genera, and as 
these may belong to some of his, I shall decline for the present 
giving them names. The same is to be remarked of all the 
other animals which I shall describe to-night: as far as [ am 
aware they are all hitherto undescribed, ‘and as the seas in 
which I procured them have never, to my knowledge, been 
examined by naturalists in respect to the animals in question, 
I may on this account be the more bold to describe them as 
new. Along with these last two, in the Straits of Malacca 
two other kinds occurred in considerable abundance. The 
one (fig. 81. e) was composed of short, thick, curved ten- 
tacula, disposed 1 in a circular manner, all meeting in the centre, 
and entwining with each other. They were not jointed, dif- 
fering mater ially i in this respect from the two already described. 
The other (fig. 81. f) was composed of short str aight tentacula, 
not jointed, disposed i in a circular or oval shape, and at times 
as in 2, they appeared to be as it were double, as if one were 
attached to and growing out of the other; natural size of the 
last two species scar cely that of a very small pin’s point, 
g being about double the size of the others. 
An exceedingly interesting little animal, a Medusa, occurred 
once to me in the Straits of Banca, which evidently possessed 
a luminous property. I only procured one specimen, and it 
was during the day. After examination it was removed into 
a wineglass full of clear sea-water, and kept till evening. When 
taken to a dark place, the water, upon its surface being struck 
and agitated by the finger, immediately gave out several bright 
sparks. ‘Vhis luminousness, however, soon ceased, the agitation 
of the water being continued ; but, when left andiecanbed for 
some time, it seemed to recover its power, again emitting vivid 
flashes of light, upon being struck smartly with the top of the 
finger. The animal itself (fg.81. 2), as seen by the micro- 
scope, appeared to consist of a hollow transparent gelatinous 
