FmJSTY LIGHT-BEARERS {SURFACE FORMS.) 107 



spots undoubtedly visit the surface at night, just as many 

 large predatory fishes then come well in shore. Indeed, the 

 night is the feeding-time of the southern fishes; at least, 

 the season when they are upon their travels. 



At Tortugas, on the Florida reef, the shoal to the west 

 of the key was deserted during the day, except by schools of 

 mullet, small barracuda, and a few others ; but at night the 

 sandy shoal seemed fairly alive with large fishes. Man- 

 eaters, ten or fourteen feet long, ranged up and down, readily 

 taking the hook ; and nearly all the large fishes, which by 

 day lived upon the outer reef or in the channel, could be 

 taken here ; while loud splashes and vivid displays of phos- 

 phorescence told that the large rays, indeed the great manta 

 itself, ventured in shore in nocturnal rambles. 



