210 Scieniific Inteltigence, 



with my arm. This occurred several times afterwards, and I began 

 to think I perceived a sensation of warmtli whenever I struck one of 

 these bodies, though aware how liable 1 was to be deceived by the 

 almost irresistable association of light Snd heat in the mind. A very 

 large one ultimately convinced me I was not deceived ; the sensa- 

 tion being on this occasion perfectly distinct — grateful — and continu- 

 ing for a minute or two after the touch. 



" The masses of marine ovula, left by the tide to heat and hatch 

 on the beach, I had long before observed through the whole process 

 of vivification. First, a transparent mass of jelly — next marked by 

 a white opake speck, a little distant from the centre — third, this spot 

 fringed with a red border, of the color of arterial blood ; next, a kind 

 of irregular pulsation, accompanied by the developement of certain 

 white contractile fibres, and the extension of several large red lines, 

 in radial directions from the focal opake speck — the appearance of a 

 black speck, ultimately a denned bead — and finally, I have seen the 

 rising tide shake out from the mass, the perfect animal, apparently 

 in the full possession of life ', certainly exercising the important func- 

 tion of apprehension of danger. 



" The identity of this ovuium, with the luminous bodies I encoun- 

 tered in the water, appeared probable, from their size, consistency, 

 and abounding in the same regions. It was soon after ascertained : 

 for on a night when the sea was somewhat agitated, I observed the 

 same corruscations in the waves breaking on the beach, and succeed- 

 ed in obtaining several of the illuminating bodies, by the light of their 

 own flashes. They appeared, as I expected, identical. 



When examined by candle-light, to overcome the glare of their 

 briUiancy, and at the same time observe their action more clearly, 

 the power of illumination appeared to reside in a similar focal point, 

 to that described as the place of the first phenomena of vivification ; 

 and the flashes which could be procured by irritating the mass with 

 tlie end of a pencil, diverged from this point in lines similar in mag- 

 nitude and direction, to the large red ones, mentioned in that process. 

 I regret, that it did not occur to me, to insulate one of these bodies elec- 

 trically, and endeavor to obtain shocks ; but I was too much occupied 

 with the question above stated, to avail myself of the means in my 

 hands, of making some interesting experiments on the theory of life. 

 " The existence of those large corruscating bodies in the ocean, has 

 been before recorded, and there is, I believe, a paper on this subject, 

 by Dr. Mitchill, published ten or twelve years ago ; but it is thought 

 gome parts of the observation? are not on record, and they are now 



