356 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



mention one more incident. While out in the vicinity of North 

 Harbour (Port Jackson), on Jan. 1st, 1900, 1 made a few observa- 

 tions which I hope to be able to speak of on some future occasion; 

 merely relating one of them at present. I was situated in a very 

 pretty little nook of the harbour called Pirate's Cove, and, as 

 atmospheric conditions were favourable, waited till night came 

 on. I was well repaid, for, upon darkness setting in, I found that 

 the whole of the water flooding the cove was filled with myriads 

 of the Noctiluca miliaris. Here and there the wake of some fish 

 might be traced out in silver. Then every ripple on the water 

 was crested with light ; scattered plentifully between these were 

 little individual globes of light, and as each wavelet plashed up 

 on the rocks or sand it would leave many Noctilucce stranded. 

 Wading in until the water was over my knees, my nether limbs 

 suddenly became clothed with phosphorescence. As there was 

 no moon, the whole contrived to form a most beautiful and 

 fascinating display of Nature's pyrotechnics. 



While on the subject of phosphorescence, I may mention that, 

 while walking along Jarrah Beach (Botany Bay) recently at 

 night time, my attention was attracted by the number of little 

 " orbs of light " which were being washed in. At first I thought 

 it was the Noctiluca, but, upon handling one, I perceived that it 

 was hard to the touch, and therefore came to the conclusion that 

 it was an Ostracod crustacean ; nor was I mistaken, for, upon 

 examining it when I arrived home, I found that it was a species 

 of Cypridina. When first I handled one of these it gave out a 

 most brilliant greenish light ; in fact, so strong was it that I was 

 enabled to tell the time by my watch, the whole of the dial-plate, 

 including the " second " marks, being visible. Though I have 

 kept the animal alive since in a bottle of sea-water, it has not 

 emitted any more light. 



While continuing our walk the same evening, my companion 

 and myself came upon some fishermen who had just drawn in 

 their net. It was loaded with fishes — principally small " Mullet " 

 (Mugil), though there was a somewhat varied assortment of 

 others. As usual, there were amongst them a few " Cat-fishes " 

 (Cnidoglanis megastoma). In feeling amongst the fishes in a net 

 one had to be very careful not to come into contact with these 

 animals. They have a most repulsive appearance, but this is 

 not all. Amongst the cirrus which surrounds the mouth are 



