THE WONDER OF LIFE 



493 



and, as we have said, there are probably many cases where 

 it is of no use. But this cannot be the case when it is 

 associated with highly speciaHzed organs. And when we 

 see a female glow-worm with luminescent organs on the 

 under side of the body turning herself back downwards 

 with the result, at any rate, that her hght is visible, we 

 find it difficult to beheve that the hght is not attractive to 



Fio. 79. — ^A remarkable fish, Lamprotoxus flagelliba/rba, from deep 

 water off S.W. of Ireland. The small spots and the ' looped 

 band ' seem to be luminous organs. The barbel is many times 

 longer than the body, which is about seven inches in length. (After 

 Holt and Byrne.) 



the male. Many animals move towards a hght, and it is a 

 very probable view that the luminescence of many marine 

 animals helps to bring food to them. Professor Max Weber 

 mentions the very interesting fact that the fishermen of 

 Banda cut out the luminous organ of Anomalops and similar 

 fishes, and use it as a bait, for it keeps on shining for hours. 

 A sudden illumination of a luminous organ, or a sudden 

 discharge of a limiinous secretion may have a protective 



