1855.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 541 



you on the preceding page. Accordingly I send you the following copy 

 of notes taken immediately after witnessing the phenomena they describe. 



Ship " Shooting Star" bound from N. Y. to Hong Kong. Thursday, 

 July 27th, 1854. Lat. 11° 27' N. ; Long. 105° 40' E. 



7f p. m. A little cloudy on the horizon, but very clear, bright star- 

 light, fresh breeze. Air 73° F. Ship entered light colored water, and in 

 about 15 minutes, the sea as far as the eye could reach, appeared like an 

 immense field of snow, no ripples, but smooth like oil, so that when the 

 ship's bows threw up a ripple it immediately fell back to its former level. 

 Orders were given to heave the lead, when 60 fathoms found no bottom. 

 The light from the water illuminated objects on deck and dimmed all 

 stars within 20° of the horizon. Looking over the widest part of it, the 

 horizon appeared like a dim Aurora Borealis. Ship's head North. Sailed 

 13 miles through this patch, then \ a mile through ordinary colored sea- 

 water, and again through another patch of 10 miles of light water : limits 

 of light water, well defined. 



Dipped up deck a tub full of this water, and found it 78| °, same as 

 water in the morning. The tub presented a brilliant sight, being filled 

 with bright self-luminous serpentine animalculse, varying from half an 

 inch to five inches in length. Examined carefully in the hand, by the 

 light, they were found to be nearly transparent, about the size of a hair 

 in the middle, and tapering a little towards each end ; of a jelly-like 

 substance which burnt in the candle with a red light, and crisped like 

 burnt whalebone. A few were differently formed. Two were found 

 capable of propelling themselves through still water in a tumbler. One 

 of these was in the form of a concentric ring half an inch in diameter, with 

 teeth-like projections on the inner edge, and seemed to propel itself by 

 contracting the diameter of the ring : it was preserved alive about 36 

 hours. 



This examination satisfied me that the light is emitted by animalculse, 

 but I am most anxious to know if scientific men can explain why it ap- 

 pears at certain times and within such 'prescribed limits. 



Your's truly, 



A. R. Weight, 



Surgeon, P. and O. Co's. 

 S. S. " Lady Maky Wood." 



2. Erom Mr. Secretary Melville, India House, stating that the 

 Hon'ble the Court of Directors have acceded to the Society's request 

 for a set of casts of Indian Fossils in the India House Museum, and 



4 ii 2 



