SEAS OF FLAME. 



north-east, in latitude 40° 30' south, and 138° 3' east longi- 

 tude, at the western entrance to Bass's Straits, and about 

 eight o'clock p.m., when the ship's wake was perceived 

 to be luminous, while scintillations of the same light were 

 abundant all around. To ascertain the cause, I threw the 

 towing-net overboard, and in twenty minutes succeeded in 

 capturing several Pyrosomoe, which gave out their usual pale- 

 green light ; and it was, no doubt, detached groups of these 

 animals which occasioned the light in question. The beautiful 

 light given out by these moUuscans * soon ceased to be seen ; 

 but, by moving them about, it could be reproduced for some 

 length of time after. The luminosity of the water gradually 

 decreased during the night, and toward morning was no 

 longer seen." 



M. Peron, says Figuier, observed the beauties of the 

 Pyrosoma atlanticum on his voyage to the Isle of France. 

 The wind was blowing with great violence, the night was 

 dark, and the vessel was making rapid way, when what 

 appeared to be a vast sheet of phosphorus presented itself, 

 floating on the waves, and occupying a great space ahead of 

 the ship. The vessel having passed through this fiery mass, 

 it was discovered that the light was occasioned by animal- 

 cules swimming about in the sea, at various depths, round 

 the ship. Those which were deepest in the water looked 

 like red-hot balls, while those on the surface resembled 

 cylinders of red-hot iron. Some of the latter were caught ; 

 they were found to vary in size from three to seven inches. 

 All the exterior of the creatures bristled with long, thick 

 tubercles, shining like so many diamonds ; and these seemed 



* When this account was written, the Tunicates were supposed to be 

 moUusks. — Note by the Author. 



