LUMINOUS EGHINODERMS. 31 



from the centre of the disk ; flashing out now upon one arm, 

 again upon another, or suddenly illumining the entire star in 

 a brilliant aureola of phosphorescence. 



This resplendent creature is especially common, according 

 to Sir Wyville Thompson, off the coast of Stornaway and 

 Shetland ; and the nets, when hauled in, were often over- 

 laden with masses of these gorgeous forms, which emitted a 

 light of brilliant uranium green. Curiously enough, the 

 young star-fishes exceeded the adults in the richness of their 

 display. The gleams were not constant, but extremely erratic, 

 appearing and re-appearing in a bewildering manner ; and, 

 according to the same naturalist, the most striking exhibitions 

 were seen in very young ones. 



The star-fishes known as Ophiuroids are among the most 

 abundant of deap-sea forms. On the " Challenger," about 

 several hundred species were brought up in the trawl from a 

 depth of from half a mile to two and a half miles. In our 

 own waters, two kinds ^ have been observed to emit a light 

 of singular brilliancy. 



Even more beautiful than these, as regards their luminosity, 

 are the Brisingas,^ one of which is shown with its light in 

 Plate VIII., Fig. 1. This animal has nineteen long, snake- 

 like arms, branching from a small central circular body. Its 

 color in the daylight is a rich orange red ; but at night, when 

 taken from the dredge, it displays a vivid phosphorescence. 



This attractive animal was first observed near Bergen, 

 Norway, by Charles Abjordsen, who took a specimen in two 

 hundred fathoms of water. Regarding it, he said, "it is a 

 true gloria maris" and gave it the name of Brisinga, one of 

 the jewels of the Goddess Freya. 



The Brisingas have the faculty, common to many of their 



