468 ON THE LUMINOSITY OF THE SEA. 



ly refulgent, prior to a storm which we encountered ; 

 and this circumstance led me to investigate the 

 phenomenon on our own shores. 



I was struck with the luminosity which the sea 

 presented a few evenings ago. It was succeeded by 

 a gale ; and may be, perhaps, considered its presage. 

 The sea sparkled with great brilliancy ; and seemed 

 to reflect from its bosom the celestial scene. A 

 more attentive survey appeared to present at least 

 two distinct phenomena of this description. One 

 seemed to scintillate, and was minute ; while the 

 other exhibited an Wdulatory movement of the 

 phosphoric kind, apparently commencing at the 

 centre, and diverging in concentric circles to the 

 edge of the discs, which seemed sometimes an inch 

 in diameter. Immediately before the gale, I saw 

 a solitary occasional gleam ; but during its conti- 

 nuance could discover none. 



From the edge of the pier now constructing here, 

 I took up a small portion of sea-water, including 

 some luminous substance. It was some time, in- 

 deed, before I could recognise the existence of any 

 foreign body, to which I could attribute the lumi- 

 nous effect ; however, I clearly perceived, that there 

 was no phosphorized oleaginous matter on the surface 

 of the water. I saw, at length, the shadow of an ani- 

 mal in rapid movement, depicted on the bottom of the 

 basin ; and itself was transparent as the medium in 

 which it floated. It seemed to be a JBeroe, and identi- 

 cal with the species called fulgens, by Mr Maccart- 



