250 A CHARMING SPECTACLE. 



figured by Mr. Lister in the Phil. Trans, for 1834. He 

 assigned to it no name, hut it has since been called 

 Verophora Listen. Whatever points of agreement 

 are found between the observations of that eminent 

 naturalist and my own, are due to our having drawn 

 from a common original : and I will not cancel this 

 paper, since a concurrence of independent research is 

 valuable in all science. 



LUMINOSITY OF THE SEA. 



I was coming down lately by the Steamer from 

 Bristol to Ilfracombe in lovely summer weather. 

 Night fell on us when approaching Lynmouth, and 

 from thence to Ilfracombe, the sea, unruffled by a 

 breeze, presented a phenomenon of no rare occurrence, 

 indeed, to those who are much on the water, but of 

 unusual splendour and beauty. It was the phospho- 

 rescence of the luminous animalcules ; and though I 

 have seen the same appearance in greater profusion 

 and magnificence in other seas, I think I never saw it 

 with more delight or admiration than here. Sparkles 

 of brilliance were seen thickly studding the smooth 

 surface, when intently looked at, though a careless 

 observer would have overlooked them ; and as the 

 vessel's bow sploughed up the water, and threw off the 

 liquid furrow on each side, brighter specks were left 

 adhering to the dark planks, as the water fell off, and 

 shone brilliantly until the next plunge washed them 

 away. The foaming wash of the furrow itself was 

 turbid with milky light, in which glowed spangles of 

 intense brightness. But the most beautiful effect of 



