Aug. 3, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



99 



Nature, shows one of these contrivances which can 

 be dismounted, so as to take up less room on board. 

 When wanted for use it is merely required to connect 

 the two halves by hooks in order to have a closed basket, 

 into which is put a little bad fish, and which is then let 

 down by means of the steel cable. At the top is placed a 

 floating buoy, and the apparatus is then left in the sea. 

 On returning in a day or two and raising it briskly an 

 ample harvest is secured. This is not merely hope or 



into the water light enough to act upon the most sensi- 

 tive plates. Such a plate, which is over-exposed in ih 

 of a second, may remain uncovered for 10 hours at 

 great depths, and yet be perfectly unacted upon. The 

 animals of the abyss are therefore deprived of light ; 

 they live in complete darkness, and their eyes serve 

 merely to see the phosphorescence of their own bodies, 

 or the feeble light which other beings diffuse. But 

 from this to the electric light is a long step. Yet 



conjecture, as the former voyages of the Hirondclle have 

 already given surprising results. 



In 18S6 and 1887 traps of this sort were let down: 

 one day one of them was raised containing more than 

 60 lbs of fishes and crustaceans. Unfortunately the 

 hemp cables then in use were not strong enough and 

 gave vvay, abandoning all this treasure to the sea. No 

 such accident can happen with the steel cable. 



Dr. Regnard has had the happy idea of lighting up 

 •one of these apparatus. It is known from recent investi- 

 gations that beyond 400 yards there does not penetrate 



Dr. Regnard wishes to introduce it into the depths. He 

 wishes to use it as a bait to capture the special forms 

 which it may attract, or at least to learn if the inhabi- 

 tants of the abyss flee from the light, like those of 

 caverns, or if they seek the light. 



This is not the earliest attempt to use light in fishing. 

 It generally attracts animals. Moths come to burn 

 themselves in candles ; sea-birds dash against the lenses 

 of lighthouses with such force that they are often killed, 

 and their dead bodies are found at the foot of the tower. 

 Fishes flock so readily to a light that fishing by torch- 



