unSEHVATIONS ON LUMINOUS ANIMALS. 341 



cnistaceous insect, which he called the Ciancer fulgens; the 

 other, a large species of medusa, to which he gave the 

 name of peliucens. 



The cancer fulgens bears some resemblawcc io the common Cancer fulg-nh. 

 shrimp ; it is however considerably less. The legs are fur- 

 nished with numerous setae. The light of this animal, 

 which is very brilliant, appears to issue from every part of 

 the body. See it PI. IX, fig. I, of the natural size, and 

 magnified at fig. 2. 



The medusa peHuccns meas«res about six iiKhcs across Me(!usa peJUt- 

 the crown or umbella; this part is marked by a number of '^^"^* 

 ©pake lines, that pass otf from the centre to the circum- 

 ference. The edge of the umbella is divided into lobules, 

 which succeed each other, one large and two small ones 

 alternately. From within the margin of the wmbeHa there 

 are suspended a number of long cord-shaped tentacula^ 

 The central part of the animal is opake, and furnished 

 with four tiuck irregularly shaped processes, which han|^ 

 down ia the midst of the tentacula. See fig, 3. 



Thjs goophyte is the m<jst splendid of the luminous inha- 

 bitants of the ocean. The flashes of light emitted during 

 its contractions are so vivid, as to affect the sight of the 

 spectator. 



In the notes communicated to Sir Joseph Banks by Cap- Shining of ehc 



tain Horsbnrg, he remarks, that the luminous state of thef^ °^*'^''"'^ 



, , by captain 



sea between the tropics is generally accompanied with the Horsburg. 



appearance of a great number of marine animals of various 

 kinds upon the surface of the water: to many of which 

 Jie does not, however, attribute the property of shining. 

 •At other times, when the water which gave out light was 

 examined, it appeared only to contain small particles of a 

 dusky straw colour, which dissolved with the slightest 

 touch of the finger. He likewise observes, that in Bom- 

 bay during the hot weather of May and June, he has fre- 

 quently seen the edges of the sea much illuminated by mi- 

 pute sparkling points. 



At sunrise, on April 12, 1798, in the Arabian sea, he Luminous in-' 

 perceived several luminous spots in the water, which con- j^'!°^^°""'^ ''' 

 ceiving to be animals, he went in the boat and caught one. 

 li proved to be an insect somewhat resembling iu appear- 

 ■■-■,-■ ancfi 



